Brit rock seems to be going through a revival of sorts at the moment. What with bands such as Lower Than Atlantis taking over the airwaves and Twin Atlantic packing out cavernous halls, things are looking up for the formerly beleaguered scene which many naysayers previously mourned and declared extinct. We Are Lost Boys fit well into the scene, with new E.P- Life, they create a kind of arena-sized hook-heavy Brit rock with more melodies than you can shake a stick at and a social conscious that despairs at modern Britain’s inner turmoil. The first thing that hits you is the monstrous production which is polished and waxed to perfection and sounds more like a band who are headlining festivals rather than one who are still peddling the UK’s demoralizing toilet circuit. Lyrics deal with the state of UK culture or the lack of herein, channelling the thoughts of a confused young man in an equally confusing and incomprehensible society. Unfortunately, the lyrics lack any real bite or wit, relying more on simple uninspiring phrases of discontent such as in ‘Don’t Care’ and the rather dreary Generation X refrain of “I don’t care.” Elsewhere, “What Now?” is smothered in gloom and minor chords, relying on subtle guitar and almost ethereal backing vocals to create the most restrained yet emotionally hard-hitting song on the E.P. Despite the overt melodic emphasis throughout Life there is enough of a grungey disposition to ward off any outright pop palpitations. Nevertheless, latest single ‘The Way Of The World’ seems to have been written for the radio, coming across like Hundred Reasons playing through The Smashing Pumpkin’s amps, boasting a stadium sized central riff and infectious melodic intuitions. Vocals soar throughout with singer Danny utilizing his versatile pair of lungs to maximum effect and refusing to be buried by the weight of the music. There’s no doubt that We Are Lost Boys have potential. They already have the riffs and the hooks. But what they don’t have are truly memorable songs, songs that you can imagine screaming back at the band along with several thousand others in a muddy field in Reading. Yet, seeing as this is the band’s second ever release this can be forgiven. Life is a genuinely brilliant starting point, but their best songs are yet to be written.
4 out of 5 high fives!