Album Review: Filthy Boy - 'Smile That Won't Go Down'

A lot of words written about London four piece Filthy Boy compare the band's sound to a host of sexual based situations. This may be the complete fault of vocalist Paraic, and twin brother Michael, Morrissey's voices, which invoke a sense of smut, along with the devilishly smooth guitar lines, and of course, suggestive lyrics. The fact that the band name declares the group as disgusting characters also probably has something to do with it, but really it's the vocals. They almost sound like a joke, but they are by all means not.

This danceable indie rock is an extended Pulp Fiction dance scene. Wavy surf like guitar lines, waltz beats and subtle yet driving bass lines present. Tracks like 'Waiting On The Doorstep' have a groove that your parents might enjoy while also disapproving of having these young gentlemen speak to their daughters.

Tracks like 'Jimmy Jammies' bring back that element of humour that make it hard to ignore the earlier joke comments as a man tries to seduce a woman by having them push their single beds together and put on their "jimmy jammies," while the music swirls and builds creating an intense mood. The sexy evil mood that this record presents (if Vampires were real, and owned clubs, they would play this stuff) is lightened in the mid-section by 'Mental Conditions', a swaying track with airy guitar chords and harmonie. Interestingly however, this is nowhere near as exciting as the sexy evil stuff.

Luckily, this is the only moment where the band loses their way and they return for the album's closing songs like the spooky stalker story in 'Biggest Fan Ever' and the gentle country tinged ender 'Oh Dear'.

Filthy Boy have dirtied up indie rock while paying homage to the sound of groups like The Smiths and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, simultaneously giving everything a modern day twist with danceable and commercial properties.

'Smile That Won't Go Down' shows that Filthy Boy have created this unique style and can use it well, with some kinks ironed out they could become the masters of raunchy indie rock.

1. In The Name Of

2. Naughty Corner

3. Waiting On The Doorstep

4. Jimmy Jammies

5. Charm Of The Dangerous Minx

6. When Everyone Cheers

7. Mental Conditions

8. Spiral Eyes

9. That Life

10. Biggest Fan Ever

11. Oh Dear