Product Description

'Brassbound' is the second album by Sussex-based Britpop revivalists The Ordinary Boys. Whereas their debut album was aconcentrated burst of Jam-esque energy, their sophomore effort throws elements of 2-tone ska and lovers rock reggae into the mix, making for a more varied sound but losing none ofthe band's trademark energy and vigour. Includes the single'Boys Will Be Boys', and a cover of Locomotive's 'Rudi's InLove'.

Track Listing

1. Brassbound
2. Boys Will Be Boys
3. Life Will Be The Death Of Me
4. Thanks To The Girl
5. On An Island
6. One Step Forward
7. Skull And Bones
8. Don't Live Too Fast
9. Call To Arms
10. A Few Home Truths
11. Rudi's In Love
12. Red Letter Day

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40201 in Music
• Released on: 2005-06-20
• Number of discs: 2

Amazon.co.uk Review
The second album from The Ordinary Boys, Brassbound finds this mod-styled Brighton bootboys evolving from the Weller-style Britpop of their debut, Over The Counter Culture, making explicit the dub, reggae, and ska influences that previously only lurked in the shadows. It's a wise move, as the rollicking opening salvo of "Brass Bound" and "Boys Will Be Boys" - a natty, brass-laden number featuring Rankin Junior of reunited ska legends The Beat - neatly demonstrates.

But there's room for reflection within, too: frontman Sam Preston's songwriting has audibly matured since the Boys' debut, his skill for light nostalgia and Morrissey-esque poeticism feeding into "Life Will Be The Death Of Me" and the cautionary "Don't Live Too Fast" - a song about "knowing what it means/To be bursting at the seams". Meanwhile, a cover of obscure `60s Birmingham outfit Locomotive's "Rudi Can't Fail" proves Ordinary Boys know their history, and confirms there's nothing wrong with a spot of retro, just so long as the movements you're cherry-picking from still sound alive and kicking. --Louis Pattison

Customer Reviews

Ordinary Boys Will Be Ordinary Boys
Ok, before I review this album, i must make it clear, I never watched Big Brother when Preston was in it, and so I was never intrigued in that way. It was only when I heard Boys will be Boys that I thought I'd have a crack at the album.

Because the whole Ska craze began back in the 70's with The Specials and a whole bunch of two tone bands, you could probably forgive The Ordinary Boys for relying on similar sounds of that genre, which are in excess, used to great use on their 2nd album Brassbound. Of course, thats not just counting the fact Boys will be Boys features Rankin Junior from The Beat.

Preston could probably owe a lot to Madness, as his singing is reminiscent of Suggs. But with all these connections, it would be a crime not to think the group is great in their own right. Life Will Be The Death of Me, Call To Arms and A Few Home Truths are some of the catchiest songs on here whilst On An Island and Don't Live Too Fast give a good social commentary on patriotism.

Hell they can even blow a decent cover as their cover of Rudi's in Love proves. Red Letter Day is probably the only one that differs from the energetic build up of the rest of the album, and is as such quite melancholic anthem to end Brassbound.

So they may borrow similar sounds from a decade thats since long past, but its much better to smooth out those sounds than crease them up and Brassbound does that greatly, it proves there's more to Preston than his relationship with that woman (lol i've forgotten her name, please forgive me)

Buy Now :-)

Not Really A Review!
As the title explains, this isn't really a review. I just wanted to say that Jon has obviously never heard of The Specials, or anything else from the two tone era of which he was a child. I like the Ordianry Boys, but it's not so much because they are different, more because they are similar to bands who breaking ground in my childhood. Nuff said.

Better than I thought it would be
I first heard Boys Will Be Boys on the NME album. I brought this album when I heard that Preston had gone on Big Brother to see what it was like. Overall it was alot better than I expected it to be. I thought Boys Will Be Boys was probably the weakest song on there. I don't really dislike any of the songs on this album. It is definately worth a listen.