This is some careful, careful shit and that is both the album’s glory and the album’s undoing. For many, Begone Dull Care sounds so careful and so meticulous that is becomes boring. For others, those in love with how sound evolves and how it can move through soft, sexual moments to form music, it will be a fascinating bit of work.
Now Begone Dull Care is not JB’s best work, but it is a more profound one than many critics have given it credit for. Tracks like “Work” and the funky “Hazel” are great for night-time cruising, while the easy groove of “Parallel Lines” makes use out of hushed, breathy vocals.
Overall, Begone Dull Care makes for a sweet little exercise in record production and attentive song construction. Junior Boys haven’t reached the heights of So This Is Goodbye with this one, but that sure doesn’t stop it from being a charming, smooth entry in what will be an expansive and engaging discography from this Canadian duo.
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