The fun-loving, alternative collective, based out of New Jersey, bestowed upon us their debut EP titled Can Boys Have Diaries? The 4-track soundscape is the perfect glimpse into the utopia of theirs, which shelters vulnerability in guys. It's a driving movement across the world today, especially amidst the pandemic: Mental Health. We see it in sports, see it in the news, and now Kidsnot$aints has brought the notion to our eardrums, wanting to drive people out of their comfort zone. "We wanted people to know that it's okay to get butterflies when you look at someone, or it's okay to feel like your heart sank into your stomach-there's no need to hide what your feeling, hence the name."
They bore The Neighbourhood & Milky Chance vibrations, to my indie/alt fanatics, but it's almost all the more enticing/relatable, exploring the likes of love, life, and high school heartbreak. Much of their inspiration stemmed from their comparative experiences, in some of the worst of times, best of times, and more. To point out some personable inspirations, the Doobie Brothers & James Fauntleroy were who the group keyed in on, sonically. From the drums to the melodies, the embodiment persists, involving some fun EQ arrangements over the voices and sounds. If you're a bass-head (the instrument that is), the group executes some eclectic riffs on alternative music you don't want to overlook.
Member, Raphael George, did the songwriting for a personal favorite of mine in "GIRL WITH THE FILAS". "You're more than just a girl with some Filas...I love you from your face down to your Levi's", which is such a simplistic conclusion, but actually cuts so deep if you've ever been on the verge of teenage/early 20's angst, especially when it comes to the trickiness of love; "We've all been there, especially in high school. We've all had the someone who made us rethink everything about ourselves, good or bad." The serene undertone of the song and reassurance is comfortable and that certainly carries through the duration of the project, which is an attribute to the whole collective.
"CLOUD9" is another feel-good track, to which they actually freehanded, presenting a bit more up-paced representation than the rest, along with "I THINK I NEED HELP". The latter asks all the right internal questions, with a digitized Polly Pocket cellphone sort of beat synchrony that is to be adorn. The former exhibits some of that range the group boasts vocally, pleading with the woman personally. Songwriter, Alan Warui, "AL's INTERLUDE" is the puppy-love feelings on display. Love is patient and it surely can be blind, Al deems.
CBHD took the union only a few months to make, although it is a shorter display of their array of talents. They noted the fun they had in the making it, but the desire to actually take their time with this, as they found themselves jumping ahead. Well I believe this is the perfect reorientation.
Stream CBHD below!
Follow the gang:
IG: @kidsnotsaints
Twitter: @kidsnotsaints
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