Like a sudden burst of sunshine through a gaggle of surly grey clouds come The Boy Least Likely To, bounding over the horizon into the periphery of the mainstream.
Following the announcement of a spot supporting no less than the drill sergeant of dull, James Blunt, it looks like 'the Boy' may be getting more attention than he can handle, at least judging by the lyrics to ‘Be Gentle With Me’. “If I wasn’t so happy I wouldn’t be so scared of dying/be gentle with me…I’m not as brave as I thought”, they plead over banjos and xylophones, a heart-warming juxtaposition of insecurity and merciless bounciness that fills the song, as well as their album, ‘The Best Party Ever’ like a childhood birthday goody bag, stuffed with wonderful surprises, silly putty et al.
Nevertheless, even the best party bags eventually have nothing left to offer; for The Boy Least Likely To to remain a lasting treat perhaps they need to be less Panda cola and more the cup of tea Belle & Sebastian have perfected over the years, to ensure long-term satisfaction. For the meantime, however, this will do nicely.