‘mama’s boy’ – LANY

Since their inception in 2014, LANY has always been known as the indie, sad-pop band with a discography of relatable, synth-heavy tunes about the ups and downs of love, sunsets and growing up. While LANY’s 2017 debut record was a bloated rehashing of their previous EPs and singles, the group’s sophomore album, Malibu Nights, was a cohesive, decently-written LP with a clear aesthetic and tone that I actually really enjoyed.

mama’s boy, however, I’m not loving so much. This third album suffers from the same exact issues their debut did, which is surprising considering how much of an improvement Malibu Nights was from their first record. There was also a two-year gap between this album and the last one, which is the longest amount of time LANY has taken between releases. The expectation was that they were taking extra time to perfect their craft and continue growing as artists, when instead, LANY reverted back to mediocrity. 

Yes, some of the songs on mama’s boy are fantastic. The guitar-driven, anthemic “you!” is almost hypnotic in its persistent melody and grand chorus that, I imagine, will sound even better when it’s being passionately sung by thousands of people in a concert venue. “if this is the last time” is a genuine letter of love from frontman Paul Klein to his family that made me tear up, and “heart won’t let me” is the kind of catchy tune that you’ll hear once and be singing it to yourself a week later. While the writing on “i still talk to jesus” is poor, the emotion in Klein’s voice, combined with a choir and chilling guitar, makes this song feel straight-from-the-heart and poignant, and “when you’re drunk” shows that LANY still have their quintessential just-let-me-love-you, sad-boy pop sound nailed down. 

With that said, while we’re speaking of the “sad-boy pop” sound, mama’s boy also portrays the ugly side of LANY’s signature genre. “cowboy in LA” and “good guys” are the genderbent versions of “I’m not like other girls.” Klein claims that, “Good guys never win” and “I got a different kind of heart / [Because] I’m a cowboy… in LA,” in an attempt to appear as the sensitive, caring man that just wants to be there for you. It’s cringey, weird and, in light of recent allegations from multiple women, very much not believable. These lyrics are, quite frankly, repulsive, and when the remainder of mama’s boy sticks with the same narrative, you’re left with a handful of okay songs and a majority of pretty terrible ones. 

As a whole, the album blends together and runs on for 50 too-entirely-long-minutes. Full of dull instrumentals and tired love songs, mama’s boy is a forgettable 4.5 / 10.