“Sink/Let It Sway”
from the album Let It Sway
2010
iTunes
It’s hard to forget a name like Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. Luckily, the alternative rock quartet have created an album that is just as memorable with their third release, Let It Sway. Produced by Chris Walla, of Death Cab fame, the band emerge with a sound that is more boy band than indie. Before you immediately label them as another vapid group hungry for commercial success, understand that it works in their favor. After nearly a decade in the industry, SSLYBY have never quite broken through to audiences. But they finally find their niche on their latest album, filled with an abundance of infectious hooks and head-bobbing beats.
The almost-titular track, “Sink/Let It Sway,” is the perfect example. Its jaunty guitar riffs and uplifting vocals express a carefree, almost naive, attitude towards difficulties. The cheerfulness-in-the-face-of-obstacles theme is echoed in “Banned (By the Man),” which boasts a string of “na na na”s so catchy that you forget to notice the diluted lyrics.
But when taking a closer look, you find that the lyrical content is laughable due to its emptiness. Admittedly, SSLYBY have never been known for their insight. At least this time around, they offer an overall addictiveness that excuses lackluster content. Case in point: “In Pairs” loops the same five, trite lines throughout the entire three minutes but darn it, you can’t help but tap your foot while grinning like an idiot.
Then again, not every song has to be painstakingly dissected for a deeper meaning. As long as it provides a sanctuary of blissful joy, it achieves its purpose. Even though SSLYBY can’t be described as particularly profound, with Let It Sway, the band’s experimentation has paid off, providing 41 minutes of energizing power-pop.