ALBUM REVIEW: JUNIOR BOYS - 'WAITING GAME'

From the opening of the first track “Must Be All the Wrong Things” it is apparent that Waiting Game is not going to be your typical Junior Boys album. The urgency is gone. This album eases into itself. A resonating glass sound that increases in volume fills the first minute. It is a sound that is instantly familiar, but under intense scrutiny, it becomes anxiety inducing.

The waiting game has begun. Jeremy Greenspan’s voice doesn’t even come in until over three minutes and twenty seconds into the song. This is a COVID album in the truest sense. Greenspan has dived deep inside himself and given us a peek of what is inside his head. His concept of “peripheral music” creates an immersive soundscape in favor of constructed songs.

The “songs” on the album manifest through the white noise and background ambience. Even the two lead singles “Night Walk” and “Waiting Game” are not heavily composed. Simple beats, whispered lyrics and sparse instrumentation create the sketches of a song without the lasting impact you expect from a Junior Boys track. They appear, and then suddenly recede back into the noise floor.

The most memorable track “Yes2” comes at just the right time, breaking through the anxiety created by waiting for a fully-fledged song. It taps into the R&B well that defines so many of the Junior Boys best songs. “Yes2” hits that sweet spot, sending endorphins flooding through your body. But as pleasing and needed as it is, it too slips away before you can fully take it in.

This album is an interesting concept, and it was probably an incredible journey for Greenspan and Matt Didemus to explore during COVID. I am sure they spent endless hours in the recording studio experimenting with new sounds, their focus only on the concept. But ultimately, the concept devoured the simple joys that usually come from the Junior Boys. The infectiously danceable tracks that get stuck in your head have given way to instrumentals and noise scapes (with the exception of “Yes2” and “Thinking About You Calms Me.”)

There is joy to be had from this album, but you need to enter into the transaction in the right headspace. Let the music wash over you, and don’t focus too hard on any individual track. This is not a typical Junior Boys experience, but it is pleasurable in it’s quiet way.

Order Waiting Games by clicking HERE!. Junior Boys play the Fonda in Hollywood on January 26th. For tickets, click HERE!