Boris Smile
Beartooth EP
Count Your Lucky Stars; 2008
If there is one motif in the modern indie scene that’s close to reaching the over-saturation point, it’s the one where the “band” is comprised of one primary singer-songwriter and his/her (often rather large) rotating collection of friends as accompanying musicians. It’s not that such designs are bad or improper, because it’s a great way to put together a small, folky orchestras and choirs on the cheap. My quibble with them is that, as the idea quickly marching to an annoyingly ubiquitous level, the impact of these assemblages is dramatically weakened. Thus, where the folks in Boris Smile succeed is that A. Wesley Chung is able to retain a traditional band sound in the basic setup of his songs, while maximizing the presence of his many contributors. On the Beartooth EP, the listener is privileged to enjoy five excellent examples of catchy indie-folk-pop, led by vocals and melancholy lyrics akin to those of Damien Jurado. While this stellar little record doesn’t have a true standout track (“Tut-Tut” might be the only real contender), it also doesn’t have a singular clunker, as it focuses on Chung’s left-of-center ruminations on fame and young love, occasionally using animal and robot metaphors to tell his stories. Boris Smile has created a welcome addition to the world of folk-music-by-committee.