BOOTlace - Youth and Joy (Single Review)

Words by Craig Carrington-Porter

With new bands it always seems to be that a comparison needs to be made for you to go and listen to them.

For example, when the guitar melody for ‘Youth and Joy’ filters in you recognise it as a The Smith’s sound-esk sort of vibe, a lightly plucked riff and a Johnny Marr guitar tone.

The same can be said for the BOOTlaces’s vocalist Joseph Young. The tonality of his voice is a mixture of being both lovely and melancholy- not two words that normally fit together but we’ll allow it in this instance- anyway, you could match his singing talent to that of The Killer’s Brandon Flowers. Young’s vocals are cushioned and comfortable but have a strong presence. Especially when delivering such lines as; “Well cheer up son, don’t you know that there is no love left for people like us”. When layered altogether with the drums and bass you get this other comparison to the eighties, indie-pop heavy weight band, Joy Division.

I like Joy Division, I like The Killer’s singer and I like Johnny Marr’s guitar playing. Do I like BOOTlace? Yes, yes I do but…I want to hear more.

BOOTlace hail from Dundee, a city that is seeing changes. For all the people that I have met who slag off the Eastern city, they are normally the ones who have either; 1) never been or 2) don’t know how to have a good time. The trio have been gigging and recording since 2017.

Recording wise these boys are on the right track. ’Youth and Joy’ is produced reasonable well, the song structure and themes are a lot better and more mature than a lot of the other crap out there. Let me prove it;

BOOTlace verse 1

“She said I’m in love,

Not with anyone but the sun, the moon and the stars,

And it is a rush,

To find out that there is some sense left in someone,

And as I filled my boots with romanticism,

I failed to notice my blood had risen,

And I fell in a heap back down to Earth again,

And I hate all these cliches,

And the haircuts that just look the same,

Bring me back to the for forgotten summer days,”

John Mayer and Katy Perry- Who You Love- Verse 1

“You love, who you love

Who you love

You love, who you love

Who you love.”

Fuck you John Mayer, you changed. BOOTlace ‘You and Joy’ has been out since July. Give them a like on Facebook, a follow on Spotify and support them to not end up like John Mayer.