Perhaps it was the genuine surprise at the full room, perhaps the naïve kiddishness that plays alongside This Many Boyfriends’ young, fun indie-pop… either way they shout and jump with a youthful excitement, doing their best to get the crowd’s full attention, despite cooly dropping off into a half-there, timid chatter in between songs. Following the release of their self-titled debut, it’s understandable why so many people want more from the Leeds 5-piece, any band that can complete an indie-pop filled set, whilst leaving influences merely at influence level, is surely a band worth seeing.

 

They may not be the most vocally in-tune, tempo-tight band, but for the genre they’ve chosen, its more than fitting and instead rings with the youthful angsty rebellion that surrounds so many of their lyrics. From the heartache of latest single release ‘Number One’ to the shout-along chorus of ‘Young Lovers Go Pop!’, This Many Boyfriends are almost the band that you should be thinking of when you recollect your youth years of gigs where you didn’t even care if you were the first crowd-member to dance a little bit.

 

There’s no doubt that This Many Boyfriends as a band go hand in hand with comparisons to the likes of The Smiths, with even a few echoing whispers of the name Morrisey being passed around the crowd, and it’s not surprising. This Many Boyfriends know the importance of a stomping sing-along, and that’s exactly what their melodies provide. They may not be bringing in the attention of the indie-pop crowd, but with the recent release of their debut, there’s still plenty of time for this to happen. The potential is there, and for now, that will do.

 

Words: Charlotte Stones

8/10

Photo: Lucy Johnston