Boy lights Fire are a 3-piece self proclaimed “Indie New-Wave Group” that burst onto the scene in 2009. This band formed while attending music college together at DkIT. In the last two years the lads have plied their trade in Dundalk and further afield to establish themselves as one of Ireland’s hardest working bands. With a fanatical fan base lurking in what is one of Ireland’s prettiest and most intimate venues, The Spirit Store, the guy’s have sold out this venue more times than one music fan can remember.
It has been in this last year that has really seen the band rise from a one-venue band to one of Ireland’s hottest up and coming prospects. The band have recently supported the likes of Jape, ASIWYFA and Fionn Regan on the FMC tour. This was followed up with a slot at this years Electric Picnic where they went on to tantalize and tease the EP audience with a set that was far too short to befit this bands talents. Not wasting any time with their new found fame, the band will now embark on their ‘Hard Working Class Heroes’ debut on the 6th October in The Workmans’s Club. A date on the Dublin gig calendar I urge all of you not to miss.
In the midst of all this action, the lads took time out to record some of the songs that was propelling them onto a lot of Ireland’s “Top 10 Hottest Bands” lists. The result was Boy Lights Fire’s 3-track debut EP – ‘Weatherman’.
The EP begins with the title track, ‘Weatherman’. This track has been making its way around the radio stations as of late as it begins to gather recognition from Irish radio DJ’s. This song is an unashamedly fast paced, catchy, dance inducing number from start to finish. The song begins with a viciously catchy guitar riff that is only exemplified by the pulsating bass line that goes along with it. This is the kind of song that a lot of struggling Irish bands take years to find and produce. With most bands never finding the mix between up-tempo flair and a kind of musicianship that a lot of bands can only do but envy. ‘Weatherman’, the EP’s stand out track.
‘Trevor is Our Friend’ is a brilliantly haunting track in parts that gives us a little more insight into what this band is all about. Unlike the song before, the roles are switched as a thundering bass line launches itself upon us from the get go. The songs chorus is a euphoric break from the clean catchy guitar as the band harmonize to stunning effect.
‘Dorothy’ is the slowest and final track to this EP. Echoing guitars and roaming bass lines fill this track as insights into Mercer’s songwriting become apparent with my favourite line being: “ Space child, Queen of Astrology”. To look upon these lyrics as merely quirky and “not the norm” would be to miss Mercer’s quite apparent gift for intellectual and meaningful lyrics. This track once again leaves us with over a minute of instrumental brilliance from a 3 piece band that have more surprises than your average “Indie New-Wave Group”.
I think by lumping themselves into this genre is to bundle themselves in with other mediocre bands that overcrowd this yawn inducing genre. This band have something special and this year will be a make or break year for them as they try to establish themselves as a mainstay on the Irish music scene. I urge that you make it your business to check out this EP and also to make your way to one of this young and exciting band’s gigs. With most bands I finish with hoping to hear more from them, in this case, this comes as a certainty.
Download the ‘Weatherman EP’ – www.boylightsfire.bandcamp.com