Where should I begin with this record? The third release by indie darlings, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin titled Let it Sway (Polyvinyl), is more than an album. It’s a piece of art.
For years the band has been known for their sugary pop tunes and songs that you “just can’t get out of your head,” but this time they have taken it to a whole new level. Working with Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Chris Walla, and Sparklehorse’s Beau Sorenson, this is the first release that they did not record and produce themselves.
Notably a big step for the band, some wondered what if Walla changed too many qualities that we love about SSLYBY? Luckily, it worked in everyone’s favor as their music was enhanced not changed which is something very important when you have a formula that already works.
The opener “Back in the Saddle,” already proves the new found maturity of the band in the record. Starting off with a soft piano accompanied by Phil Dickey’s voice, the song starts to switch it up around the 2:40 mark with a pouncing beat, John Robert Cardwell’s vocals, and perfect, and I mean perfect harmonies. From the second the album starts there is not a dull moment which is very important. “Sink/Let it Sway,” the first single, draws you in even more with it’s pop hooks. A fun song that will have you up and dancing around the room in no time. “Banned (By the Man),” is where even more vocal magic comes in. The harmonies throughout every song is outstanding. The songs are well crafted from start to finish with no details being left out. Every instrument shines for itself, being emphasized at every point possible creating an epic barrier of sound.
“In Pairs,” makes me want to dance. There is something about it. The Dickey/Cardwell penned tune was also written by Grace Bentley, Phil’s wife (Congrats Newlyweds!). Though the vocal lines in the song are short, it works and it works well. “My Terrible Personality,” is another track that will have your ass out of the seat dancing. I can’t even properly review it because it just makes me want to have fun. This is something the Yeltsins are good at, very, very good at.
One of my personal favorite tracks from the record, “Everlyn,” sounds a bit heartbreaking, and oozes pure beauty. Clearly a song about lost love, it seems like it comes from a personal place that Cardwell knows all too well. I cannot get enough of this song and with first listen you will know exactly why. It’s beautiful in every way. “Oh Everyln, won’t you let me in?” croons Cardwell, invoking a great deal of emotion. Kudos to Will Knauer and Jonathan James for always being spot on with their playing.
“Stuart Gets Lost Dans Le Metro,” is the only song on the album that takes the band back in time a bit, proving they are still the Yeltsins that we fell in love with at the beginning. “All Hail Dracula!” which has been a fan favorite since the boys started playing it live at their shows in 2009, brings the record back up with a burst of energy once again. A witty song about vampires, this one will have you putting it on repeat.
Cardwell takes over the mic again after two Dickey songs for “Critical Drain,” and the harmonies are back in full force that will stop you in your tracks. The album gets a little darker with “Animalkind,” and borders on making you want to shake your ass and just sit and take it all in. It’s your choice. Make it a good one.
“Phantomwise,” is the epitome of how SSLYBY has grown on this record. It’s where everything fully pulls together. All of the elements of the album brought into one song. You can tell that the band has consciously made a decision to grow, but it doesn’t seem forced at all. It is the most natural progression you could ever expect. Closing for good with “Made to Last,” Let It Sway goes out with a BANG. A little on the haunting side, it makes for the perfect ending song, and if I had it my way, the album would just go on forever. It makes me hungry for more SSLYBY.
If you order the record from the band’s label, Polyvinyl Records, you get three bonus songs, “Bended,” “Cardinal Rules,” (The song about their hometown minor league baseball team), and “Tanks Jam.” Well worth ordering the disc or vinyl online.
Congratulations Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. You’ve made your best record yet. And we love it to pieces.
The band heads out on an extensive tour that starts this Thursday in Columbia, MO. Take a look at where they’ll be below.
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – “Everlyn” by ModernMysteryBlog
SSLYBY Tour Dates
08/26/10 – Thu
Columbia, MO
Forrest Rose Park
08/28/10 – Sat
Springfield, MO
The Outland Ballroom
08/31/10 – Tue
St. Louis, MO
The Firebird
09/01/10 – Wed
Urbana, IL
Canopy Club
09/02/10 – Thu
Chicago, IL
Lincoln Hall
09/03/10 – Fri
Detroit, MI
Magic Stick
09/04/10 – Sat
Toronto, Canada
El Mocambo Club
09/06/10 – Mon
Montreal, QC, Canada
Casa del Popolo
09/07/10 – Tue
Cambridge, MA
TT the Bear’s Place
09/08/10 – Wed
New York, NY
Bowery Ballroom
09/10/10 – Fri
Washington, DC
Black Cat
09/11/10 – Sat
Philadelphia, PA
The Barbary
9/12/10 – Sun
Cleveland, OH
Grog Shop
09/13/10 – Mon
Columbus, OH
The Basement
09/30/10 – Thu
Graz, Austria
PPC
10/01/10 – Fri
Zagreb, Croatia
SC Teatar & TD
10/02/10 – Sat
Aflenz, Austria
Sublime
10/03/10 – Sun
Vienna, Austria
Chelsea
10/04/10 – Mon
Munich, Germany
Kranhalle
10/05/10 – Tue
Milano, Italy
Rocket
10/06/10 – Wed
Lausanne , Switzerland
Bleu Lezard
10/07/10 – Thu
Basel, Switzerland
Kaserne
10/10/10 – Sun
Tunbridge Wells, United Kingdom
The Forum
Purchase
10/11/10 – Mon
London, United Kingdom
Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen
10/12/10 – Tue
Ghent, Belgium
Democrazy @ Charlatan
10/13/10 – Wed
Düsseldorf, Germany
Pretty Vacant
10/14/10 – Thu
Leuven, Belgium
Stuk
10/16/10 – Sat
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Paradiso
10/17/10 – Sun
Hamburg, Germany
Molotow
10/18/10 – Mon
Aarhus, Denmark
Musikcafeen
10/20/10 – Wed
Stockholm, Sweden
Debaser
10/21/10 – Thu
Copenhagen, Denmark
Lades
10/22/10 – Fri
Berlin, Germany
Bang Bang Club
10/23/10 – Sat
Offenbach, Germany
Hafen 2
10/28/10 – Thu
Suttgart, Denmark
Jugendhaus West
11/01/10 – Mon
Omaha, NE
Slowdown Jr.
11/03/10 – Wed
Minneapolis, MN
7th Street Entry
11/04/10 – Thu
Ames, IA
Maintenance Shop
11/05/10 – Fri
Lawrence, KS
Jackpot Saloon and Music Hall
11/06/10 – Sat
Denver, CO
Hi-Dive
11/07/10 – Sun
Salt Lake City, UT
Kilby Court
11/10/10 – Wed
Nampa, ID
Flying M Coffee
11/11/10 – Thu
Seattle, WA
Neumos
11/12/10 – Fri
Vancouver, Canada
Biltmore Cabaret
11/13/10 – Sat
Portland, OR
Doug Fir Lounge
11/15/10 – Mon
San Francisco, CA
Bottom of the Hill
11/16/10 – Tue
Los Angeles, CA
Spaceland
11/18/10 – Thu
Santa Barbara, CA
Jensen’s
11/19/10 – Fri
La Jolla, CA
The Loft (UC San Diego)
11/20/10 – Sat
Phoenix, AZ
Trunk Space
11/22/10 – Mon
Austin, TX
The Mohawk
11/23/10 – Tue
Dallas, TX
House of Blues – Pontiac Garage
11/24/10 – Wed
Norman, OK
The Opolis
Modern Mystery 