Boy Kill Boy - 'Civilian' (Vertigo) Released 22/05/06

“ Countdown, countdown, countdown to the disappointment!” . The chorus line from ‘Suzie’ pretty much sums up Boy Kill Boys debut album ‘Civilain’. After three promising singles and a barrage of hype this album is one of the most eagerly awaited debut albums of the year.  Unfortunately it’s a bit of a let down.  It’s packed full of catchy pop tunes, like Johnny Borrell fronting a more sinister Killers, but it feels forced and unnatural. Coincidentally BKB are on the same label as both Razorlight and The Killers.

Opening track ’Back Again’ sets the tone with its fast paced riff, brooding vocals and wall of synths. Chris Peck, who looks like Ozzy Osbourne if Stevie Wonder cut his hair, has a good voice, from anger to melancholy he adequately covers the bases but at the same time its hard to believe what he says such is the anonymity of his songs. ‘On and On’ like Ronseal does what it says on the tin and ‘Suzie’ follows in a similar vein. It’s important to stress that these are not bad songs, they are all shiny immaculate radio fodder. But there is nothing here to cling to, nothing to believe in or get excited over.

The album does have its strong points, ‘On My Own’ and ‘Civil Sin’ are a cracking tunes and ‘Ivy Parker’ is a chest beating big ballad surely set for release as a single. However for one of the biggest new bands in the country three good songs really isn’t good enough.

Perhaps we are being harsh on Boy Kill Boy here. ‘Civilian’ isn’t a bad album, if you buy it you will enjoy it but you will also have forgotten it by the time you turn it off. It’s derivative of bands who are derivative themselves, giving them a different level of pointlessness and leaving the listener wondering why they bothered. Boy Kill Boy are stop gap, an amalgamation of numerous recent popular bands and a text book example of all that is wrong with lazy musicians. ‘Civilian’ is an apt title, just one of many, trudging along unnoticed, exactly Gigwise’s sentiments of Boy Kill Boy.