On October 2, 2020, the band LANY released their third studio album, entitled mama’s boy. I’m a huge LANY fan, so I have been looking forward to this album for months now, and I was not disappointed. The band released four singles in anticipation of the album, my favorite of which is called “cowboy in LA.” Since I’ve been an avid LANY fan for a few years now, I may be a tad biased, but I truly think this album is pure perfection. The album has a lot of different types of songs, transitioning from slow and melancholy to upbeat and happy. One of my favorite things about the album is that some of the songs are more upbeat, but have sad lyrics accompanying them. It was so hard to choose just five, but here are my top five songs from LANY’s album, mama’s boy.
- “(what i wish just one person would say to me)”
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“(What i just wish one person would say to me)” is my favorite song off mama’s boy. It’s one of the slower songs on the album and talks about the lead singer’s struggle with relationships while traveling the world in a band. Jason Klein, the band’s lead singer, wrote the song and said that he “wouldn’t trade [his lifestyle] for the world, but it definitely comes at a cost.”
- “when you’re drunk”
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This is one of the more upbeat songs on the album, and it’s so catchy; I can’t stop listening. Paul Klein co-wrote this song with Sasha Sloan, among others. Paul Klein said about the lyrics, “we’ve all fallen for that person who’s talking to 20 people at the same time and hits you up when they’re drinking.” He also notes, about the backing guitar line, that it “feels too 90’s MTV TRL,” and I completely agree.
- “you!”
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“You!” was released as a single before the album’s release, and it’s a perfect preview to the rest of the album. Contrasting some of the sadder songs on the album, this one is a love song, perfectly summed up in the lyric, “I’m nothing without you.” When I first heard this song, I was surprised to find that it had almost a country sound, but later found out that this may be due to the slide guitar, which Paul Klein says, “usually gets pigeon-holed in the genre of country music.” This is one of my favorite songs from a lyrical standpoint, and Klein said writing it, “was an exercise in writing a love letter without referencing any physical characteristics or attributes, which is why it can be about literally anyone or anything.”
- “bad news”
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“Bad news” is, as Paul Klein describes it, “sarcastically self-deprecating.” It chronicles a relationship in which, before beginning a relationship, the singer warns his potential partner that he is bad news, and they should, “stop before it gets deep.” This song was also co-written by Sasha Sloan. This is one of my favorite songs on the album because I think the lyrics really fit the vibe of the song in general.
- “i still talk to jesus”
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This is the slowest, and definitely the saddest, song of the album. Klein discusses his fears about not being able to get into heaven because of his bad ways. Klein, via a Spotify interview for the album, talked about how he was, “raised in the church,” but says that, “there are things I do now that I grew up thinking I would go to hell over.” There is a lot of beautiful imagery in this song, such as the lyric, “I’ve got past more stained than the glass.” Another really beautiful aspect of this song is the background vocals that come in towards the end of the song.
Though it was hard to decide, these were my five favorite songs off LANY’s new album, mama’s boy.
Even if you aren’t a LANY fan, I really recommend listening to this album, as I think there is a song for everyone on there!
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