Album cover for "Goose Bumps." Image courtesy of Topshelf Records.
Connecticut based band Boyscott self-released their debut album, “Goose Bumps,” on Nov. 17, 2015 while at college in Nashville. Flash forward to 2019: The band was picked up by Topshelf and Babe City Records and debuted a physical release of “Goose Bumps.”
The upbeat energy with soft vocals flow into each other making it easy to get lost if you’re not paying close attention. The switch-ups sprinkled throughout the album prevent the vibes and atmosphere from getting stale.
The band’s simple and clean melodies create a compelling backdrop to a beautiful mix of surf rock, guitar rock and dream-like bedroom pop.
Track one, aptly titled “Sleepwalk,” sets the tone of the album perfectly. It combines a punchy drum machine, dreamy synths and rhythm guitar, together immediately transporting you to a dreamy alternate world.
A standout track, “Marco Polo,” feels like a warm summer day on the beach with its relatively stripped back instrumental and tom-heavy beats — perfect for a midday drive or any leisurely activity. Such a refreshing and calming track.
A critique voiced is the mixing on the vocals; some argue the vocals tend to be drowned out by the instrumental for example on “Embarrassingly Enough,” but it adds to the atmosphere and plays into the nautical and beach vibes of the album. It evokes the feeling of being under water.
“Sinking Down” and “RIP Sophie Moore” marks a shift in the record. By playing with moody vocals, and slower tempo, the band creates the perfect backtracking for dual leads Emma Willer and Scott Hermo to bend genres and styles building up to a perfect ending with “Sleepaway,” distilling the album’s sound into one song.
As a music reviewer it can be hard to not let bias show through, but this album is special to me. I first heard it in the spring of 2019 after going to my first house party. It was my first venture into young adulthood and rebellion. “Goose Bumps” makes me nostalgic for being a teen again, feeling the buzz of exploring self-identity and self-expression. When I want to disappear from the responsibilities of the world and I fear the uncertainty of my future, I listen to this record.
The album runs shy of a cool 34-minute runtime with 10 tracks; though, with such an easy listening experience it’s the perfect album to put on a long trip or play at the beach with your friends.
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