To My Boy - Fear of Fragility

I have a suspicion that Clor are destined to be among those esteemed bands that extend a greater influence posthumously than during their short existence. The emergence of cheeky young upstarts like Late of the Pier and kotki dwa owes a considerable debt to their spazzy Devo-isms, and they utilise the same sonic template to great effect. Similarly, the influence on To My Boy is just as pronounced - noting of course Luke Smith’s hand in production on their debut album - but crucially, they’re nowhere near as intriguing as any of the aforementioned.

With Clor an obvious touchstone, there’s also more than a hint of The Human League in their maudlin synths and the deadpan delivery. But there’s something so disconcertingly plastic about To My Boy that I’m reminded more of Younger Younger 28s than any Moroder inspired “Electric Dreams”. So eighties, it positively sweats Cinzano, “Fear of Fragility” ultimately adds up to much less than the sum of its borrowed parts.

To My Boy are very much a symptom of this cultural moment; cold, shallow and wilfully nostalgic. James Van De Beek in a Von Dutch hat could offer a more convincing existential whine and such a proposition is equally appealing. Despite their protestations, it’s doubtful that something so heartless could be self-aware enough to fear its own demise. Consequently, neither do I.