Boys Night Out Survive The Trainwreck

02/05/09 12:57pm

by Shehzaad Jiwani (CHARTattack)

The Burlington, Ontario quintet return with sunnier, catchier material than their dark second album

When Chart last spoke to the guys in Boys Night Out back 2005, the band were
adamant about wanting to branch out of the Warped Tour niche they'd found themselves pigeonholed into. Two years later, it appears they've succeeded, as the critically acclaimed Trainwreck concept album was a success across the board. Critics respected the group's experimental songwriting and fans were blown away by the shockingly vivid story being told on the record.

So, how do you follow that up? Instead of trying to up the ante with another brainy concept, BNO scaled back and wrote a deceptively simple, but undeniably fun album that stands in stark contrast to Trainwreck's dark atmosphere. The result, their eponymous third LP, is their most focused and concise release to date.

"When we put Trainwreck out, we knew what we were doing, but at the same time we didn't know what to expect," says guitarist Jeff Davis. "Like, we were saying, 'Is this the end for us? Are we fucked?' I think we're in a good spot now, so putting out this record, I feel really good about it."

The band underwent a series of personnel changes over the last year, with keyboardist/backing vocalist Kara Dupuy exiting after completing her touring obligations. Drummer Brian Southall was replaced by original drummer Ben Arseneau and they recruited Andy Lewis, who played drums in The Fullblast, as their second guitarist. With the lineup receiving a huge overhaul, self-titling the album was a symbolic gesture.

"That was totally the reason behind it," the guitarist explains. "We're all working really well together. We're at a point where the music is a good indication of who we are and where we are as people and as a band. Like, this is us. Trainwreck was the concept record and was its own thing, and this is just a Boys Night Out record."

"It's a lot more about self-growth," adds vocalist Connor Lovat-Fraser. "That's the theme of the record, personal change. Being on tour all the time, seeing where you were and who you are now, it's probably a more personal record lyrically than anything that I've written before. It's just this big metamorphosis and self-growth."

The album carries the same spirit of earlier material in the sense that it has a carefree attitude embedded in the music. By contrast, the lyrics retain the darker tone that Lovat-Fraser has always had, with numerous drug references and other topics being hinted at throughout.

"It's personal," the singer deflects. "I've got no problem talking about whatever the song's about, but I'm not a big talker anyway. If someone wants to know, I'm totally open with it."

It's hardly the kind of subject matter that much of their younger fanbase could easily identify with but, then again, this is the band who wrote a record based on a guy who kills his wife in his sleep and then cuts his own hands off and goes insane from the guilt.

"We don't really try to write songs that everyone can relate to," Davis says with a shrug. "We're always writing for us, writing songs that are cathartic for us. If it works out that people can relate to it, like we wrote Trainwreck and, oh my God, who the hell could ever relate to that? But the amount of letters that we got, like, 'This record saved my life...'"

"It's a crazy thing to hear," Lovat-Fraser says. "We'd never expect it. We're flattered. It's strange to write something like that and have people say, 'I've been there.'"

"If people can relate to that, then I'm pretty sure people can relate to songs about doing drugs," the guitarist concludes. "We don't write an album and say, 'We have to write this full of radio songs. It's gonna be totally basic and people are going to relate to this chorus and that chorus.' We're not aspiring to do that. We just write the best songs we can."

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Not The Only Trainwreck

Boys Night Out's Trainwreck album was just one in a long line of bleak concept albums through the years. Some others you better have in your collection include:

The Who Quadrophenia — If you've seen the movie, you know this ends badly. And it also reaffirms that all mods are emotionally damaged.

Joel Plaskett Ashtray Rock — Teenagers in a rock 'n' roll band see their world unravel as a result of a love triangle.

Alice Cooper Welcome To My Nightmare — It's the journey through the mind of a crazed killer.

Rush 2112 — Music is outlawed in this totalitarian world... until someone finds an old guitar.

The following feature article is from the September 2007 issue of Chart Magazine. To purchase the issue go to the Chart Shop.