I love getting surprise music recommendations from friends. Even better when the surprise turns out to be a truly great band or song. A friend sent me this incredibly goofy video for the song “Everytime” by the Norwegian band Boy Pablo and I was hooked.
These guys are super young, like still in their teens, and while their lyrics reflect that youthfulness, their talent as instrumentalists is well beyond their years. The band members aren’t doing anything groundbreaking here, but its rare to see young bands with such a firm grasp of the genre. They have the indie/beach rock/shoegaze feel nailed down from the reverb guitars, upbeat percussion and standout bass lines.
The band clearly has deep understanding of each other, most evident in the song “ur phone.” It’s a love song for millennials and a vivid picture of the romantic life, or lack their of, as a teenager.
Do you want to head out of here
Never really did to
We’re too shy
And we’re too young
It’s too soon to be playing this game
I really love the guitar in this song, both main and backing; it layers the song with the feeling that you’re reaching out for something but can never quite get there. The other songs on their newest EP Roy Pablo are much more upbeat, but its slow, emotional songs that provide a much clearer view of the band. I’m really excited to see whats next for these kids and I’m really hoping for a SXSW appearance next year.