The Boo Radleys

★★★ Keep On With Falling BOOSTR. CD/DL/LP

Former shoegazers’ first new LP since 1998.

Though absent original guitarist and chief songwriter Martin Carr is still flying solo, Boo Radleys frontman Simon ‘Sice’ Rowbottom, bassist Tim Brown and drummer Rob Cieka re-awoke Boo last summer. Exploring euthanasia and alcoholism, their 2021 EP A Full Syringe And Memories Of You broke new thematic ground, with the trademark ebullience that once made the Boos ubiquitous on breakfasttime radio largely absent. Melodically, at least, Keep On

With Falling lets the sunshine back in, its bright melodies, glockenspiel glints and occasional reggae and ska motifs warming, even if the title track is a disavowal of religion, and the (bad) Karma Police-like I Can’t Be What You Want Me To Be details a stalled relationship. Great that they are back on their own label, on their own terms, but some of these “democratically produced” recordings want for a ruthless arbitrator.

James McNair