Recommended Tracks: cowboy in LA, good guys, sad
Artists You May Like: joan, Patternist, Troye Sivan
When you think of a “mama’s boy,” you imagine a guy who is clean-cut, charming, and sensitive. A mama’s boy would never break your heart. While LANY have always given us mama’s boy nuances in their songs, they have never referred to themselves as all-around good guys – until now. On their third effort, mama’s boy, LANY tell us what it means to bear such a humble moniker, and why there is a lot more to it than meets the eye.
The first part of the album strays away from the usual LANY topics of love and heartache, and focuses more on character. We have a song like “cowboy in LA,” showing us that you can take the boy out of the country, but you cannot take the country out of the boy; he will “hold your hand” and “hold the door,” always ready to be a gentleman. In our cowboy’s downtime, however, he likes to talk to his parents (“if this is the last time”), and pray (“i still talk to jesus”). The former is a semi-acoustic tear-jerker, which will have you scrambling to call your parents halfway through. The latter is a gospel pop track that reinforces the idea of believing in something, even if that something might seem a little ridiculous.
After such modest tracks, the second half of the album dives into the band’s signature hopeless romantic vibe. On “sharing you,” for instance, we hear about the enigma of new love. There are times when we realize our true feelings for someone after we see them hanging out with other people. While we have yet to fully understand if this is love, we just know that the idea of sharing this person with others is enough to make us weep. LANY frontman, Paul Klein, actually does make us weep, though, with the apt breakup jam, “sad.” All you want after a breakup is to move on, but when the ex has an easier time doing so, it becomes a lot to handle. You want them to be as miserable as you, but despite your many attempts to make them jealous, they do not care. When the beat drops after Paul sings, “Wish that I could make you…sad,” something inside you ignites; the emotion is real.
There is an undeniable sense of desire on the album, especially in its closing tracks, “(what i wish just one person would say to me),” and “nobody else.” The two tracks are simpatico, almost as if they are two halves of the same heart. Paul discloses the words he would love to hear from a lover on “(what i wish just one person would say to me),” while disclosing the words he would say in return on “nobody else.” It is a lonely, yet sweet, ending to the album, and we feel closer to the band than ever before.
On the whole, mama’s boy represents a modern version of every mom’s favorite boy. A mama’s boy can be longing for love. A mama’s boy can make mistakes. A mama’s boy can be complicated. But, despite his flaws, a mama’s boy has a lot to offer. Paul is right – this is LANY’s best album yet.
You can listen to mama’s boy on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify.
Keep up with LANY: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Website
