Self-dubbed “The Most Underrated Band On Planet Earth,” Los Angeles band LANY (made up of Paul Jason Klein, Les Priest, and Jake Goss) has always been one of my favorite hidden gems of the music world. On October 2, 2020, they released their much-anticipated third album mama’s boy.
mama’s boy is the follow-up to their 2018 record “Malibu Nights,” which is one of my favorites of all time, so I was unsure if anything else they released could possibly top it. When lead singer Klein referred to it as their “best album yet,” my excitement only increased.
In tune with their past releases, this album has no shortage of heart-wrenching, emotional lyrics. It’s a tribute to their Southern heritage (“Oklahoma, it made a man out of me,” Klein sings on “cowboy in la”) and to their families. I personally have not been able to listen to “if this is the last time,” which the band wrote for their parents (who are even in the track’s music video), without getting a little misty-eyed. The lyrics- “sorry for the fights and the tone of my voice, sorry for the nights when i made the wrong choice, life is flying by and it’s hitting me now-” are incredibly vulnerable. Klein struggles with his faith in “i still talk to jesus,” admitting that he’s not a perfect Christian but that he’s “just trying to do better than yesterday.” There’s a gorgeous gospel choir in the background, and combined with synth, a steady beat, and the occasional guitar twang, it creates a sound that’s completely unique and very much LANY.
“paper” is a heartfelt song about a relationship that appears perfect from the outside, but in reality is toxic and troubled. “I knew this album was gonna demand another round of honesty and vulnerability from me… everyone thinks you both look so good together, but they have no idea what it’s like behind closed doors… put on a smile, get out of the house, hang out with your coupled up friends, act like you’re having fun… you stay together because of the outside expectations and praise from total strangers,” Klein told Spotify.
My very favorite on mama’s boy would have to be “(what i wish just one person would say to me).” A soaring tune about wanting to find someone who understands you and the struggles you’re going through (“I’m here to stay, I’ll find a way, I know it hurts… there’s no one else, I’ll go through hell to make it work”), there’s a high probability “(what i wish just one person would say to me)” will get you in your feels. “nobody else” is the closing track, and is more stripped down than the others. It’s a love song, with Klein’s vocals accompanied by piano, guitar, and a few trumpet breaks.
LANY is well-known for their LA aesthetic and synthy, pop sound, and mama’s boy moves away from that and towards country pop. It shows the band baring their hearts to show a range of emotions from heartbreak to falling in love. It’s genuine, catchy, beautifully written, and I will most certainly have it on repeat for the next couple months (at least).