Magnet Mag breaks down each song on Boys Talking
It’s a bit of a stretch to call this track-by-track breakdown a premiere. Boys Talking has been hanging around for at least 18 months on vinyl and CD and by direct download. Rather than surrender what he believes is his best collection of songs so far to the “digital abyss,” Will Dailey wanted his seventh album to percolate awhile here on earth. The Boston-based singer/songwriter had already spent the better part of two decades toying with mass-market success, recording for the majors as both a solo artist and leader of the sonically ambitious (think symphonies) rock outfit the Rivals.
For the self-released Boys Talking, Dailey returned to the indie roots of his self-funded 2004 debut, Goodbyeredbullet. It’s 10 songs were selected from nearly 80 tracks in varying condition, and overdubs were kept to a minimum, which accounts for its breathability and warmth. The LP’s diverse cast of characters includes longtime musical collaborator Dave Brophy, legendary Boston scenester Juliana Hatfield, much-decorated music-industry photographer Danny Clinch, Puerto Rican cuatrista and Emmy-nominated composer Fabiola Méndez, award-winning bilingual singer/songwriter Alisa Amador and others.
The results defy easy categorization—all bound together by stellar songwriting and propelled by imaginative arrangements and meticulous craftsmanship. Call it kaleidoscopic Americana for the post-Spotify age.
Dailey sifts through each track. HERE
