LANY’s release of Mama’s Boy on Oct. 2 has them ditching their rose logo for a desert cactus. The influence for the album is deeply rooted in lead singer Paul Klein’s Oklahoma roots. The band’s sound falls under an acoustic, country-pop spell for this album. The fourteen-track album is a testament to the three members and their southern upbringing. This low-key nod to their personal origins was just enough to switch up their sound and captivate a new audience. As a longtime fan, I could only hope for something that compared to the internal spark of listening to “pink skies” for the first time. Their hype of it being their “best album yet” leading up to the release, was not an overemphasis.
1. “you!”
“You!” was the third single they released from the album and the first song we got a testimony vibe from. If fans didn’t know he was a religious singer before listening, they did after. Paul Klein never confirmed or denied if the song is a reference to his relationship with God, but either way, it’s one of the more wholesome songs off the album.
2. “cowboy in LA”
This was the fourth and last single released before the album and it completely sets up the narrative for Mama’s Boy. Since all three members come from southern/midwestern roots, their core values and feelings of isolation away from home are completely laid out.
3. “heart won’t let me”
The guitar line at the beginning that plays softly throughout is a huge nod to the ‘90s. Since the band tends to pull from that 1990s/early 2000s aesthetic, the song is subtle and sweet and makes you feel their description of the love that was slipping away.
4. “if this is the last time”
5. “I still talk to Jesus”
If you grew up religious, this song takes you straight to sitting by the traditional stained-glass window on a Sunday. It’s a huge confessional song, stating “I go from the club straight to the church.” It has strong traces of his past experience as a religious singer, including lines of “Hallelujah” and a full chorus in the outro.
6. “paper”
The first thing to note about this song is the strong guitar and echo that makes you feel like you’re alone in an empty apartment. Paul’s slight southern draw and blowing wind towards the end of the song shows strong ties to the cowboy theme, once again.
7. “good guys”
This was the very first single from the album where we really saw the core values that the album was based on. The band really put their character on full display for this one.
8. “sharing you”
This is one of my favorites from the new album because it feels like a continuation of Malibu Nights. There’s a heartbeat drum replication and it feels like “ILYSB-STRIPPED” with more beat. I’d play this at my pity party.
9. “bad news”
This song is the ultimate genre mashup on the album. The best way to describe it is classic LANY synths with country song lyrics. Klein’s draw comes through strong once again on the lyrics of “heart,” “friends” and “part.”
10. “when you’re drunk”
This is hands down my favorite on the album. This is another song that has a strong Malibu Nights essence with some ’90s guitar spunk. Pining with poppy instrumental is classic LANY. “Is it love if you only ever want me when you’re drunk?”
11. “anything 4 u”
This is one of the dreamiest songs on the album. It has strong undertones of suburbia and teenage love and feels like a gesture to the love they discuss on their self-titled album, LANY.
12. “sad”
Once again, in another huge return to Malibu Nights, Klein hints to a previous toxic relationship. The electric guitar hooks create the regretful tone of the song. This one really reminded me of a mashup between “Made in Hollywood” and “If You See Her.”
13. “(what I wish just one person would say to me)”
14. “nobody else”
The final track is like the ending credits for the entirety of the album. It also feels like a direct response to “Someone Else,” from their first-ever EP. It carries the true essence of cowboy in LA, and the narrative of overcoming isolation and unrequited love in LA. They’re serving us major southern hospitality and a yearning for a feeling like home.
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