They say that you should always write about what you know, and just by doing that, in what started as an exercise in alleviating writer’s block on the part of The Castros frontman Brad Walker has turned into a bonefide fan favourite at live gigs.
But then, it is an easy song to relate to and like. It is a blend of restrained indie lines, infectious lilting grooves, and a narrative that is simply about growing up in small-town Scotland. We all recognize it: the nights spent in the local, time spent treading water and waiting for something to happen, the fun and disappointments, the highs, the lows, and the much more frequent periods of utter boredom in between.
Oddly enough, “The Boys” has sort of become a self-fulfilling prophecy in a relatively loose application of the idea. Since writing about the fact that nothing ever really happens, plenty has happened for the band. The last year has seen them tour across the UK, put out a number of singles, and now, for this song, release a video.
What I like most about the song is its restraint. And the space. Those two qualities are what really stand out. And the easy infectiousness…that’s three things, and the poise and pace of the delivery. Before this list paragraph becomes a parody of a Monty Python sketch, let me just say there are many reasons to love this song.
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