Boy Pablo – Soy Pablo

Album: Soy Pablo

Artist: Boy Pablo

Genre: Indie Pop

Sub-Genres: Mac Demarco-Core, Sad Boi Hours, Why Did Karen Leave Me, Bedroom Pop

Label: 777 Records

Non-Airable Tracks: None

Description:

Soy Pablo is the second EP from Norwegian-Chilean sad boi, Boy Pablo. Nicolás Pablo Rivera Muñoz has been releasing music under the name of Boy Pablo since 2016, finally finding a YouTube hit in “Everything”, an echoing downbeat indie pop track with some fairly clichéd lyrics regaling us with a modern romance that only Pablo can see isn’t fated to be. Rereleasing two of his singles from earlier this year, this EP features a concise seven tracks that range from upbeat, melodic, guitar pop, to boring, samey, guitar pop. There’s not a lot of range on this album if you’re not understanding that already. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it’s not doing any points in the replay potential of this EP.

It’s fine. It’s okay. It’s a little bit above mediocre. But I couldn’t see myself listening to anything on this beyond maybe “Feeling Lonely” or “tkm” after I finish this review. The rest of this album just blend together in no particularly meaningful way. Pablo seems incapable of changing his tone or talking about anything more significant than trite romantic endeavors that didn’t turn out to be much. It feels like Pablo can’t let go of such a boring subject that it really hampers the music. “I used to turn you on/I used to be by your side”, I just don’t understand how anyone thought this was passable. It all just sounds so whiny and entitled.

The music is fine. It sounds like the standard of bedroom pop that’s big right now, see also Clairo, Gus Dapperton. It’s lazy. It’s the same effects on the guitar, the same singing, the same basic chord progression. The only two songs that change anything are “Feeling Lonely” which aims for a much faster paced and upbeat track and “tkm” which while falling into the same traps as before, adds a Beach House-esque guitar solo at the end and layered vocals that do sound somewhat more ty65interesting.

I don’t totally know what to say. It’s really just okay. Like 5/10. Perfectly average. I probably won’t ever listen to this again. Please make more interesting music Pablo I’d appreciate that in the future.

Sounds Like: Mac Demarco?, Clairo, Rex Orange County

Recommended Tracks: 

1. Feeling Lonely

2. tkm

Reviewer’s Name: Bennett Tolar

Date of Review: 10/9/18