I have only recently got into Moose Blood, an indie/emo, alternative/British rock group from Canterbury; but I am so, so glad I did. It was through hearing this exact song that I got so heavily obsessed with this band’s sound. Moose Blood were formed in 2012. Their first EP entitled Moving Home was released, followed by their first single (this song) in 2013, and then came their release of an EP split with Departures.
“Boston” is honestly one of my all-time favourite songs, and it’s not just because I have an intense and seemingly irreversible love affair with this band. The lyrics flow like poetry and tell a story that is equally compelling and relatable. It tells the story of a guy who has sussed out that his partner may possibly, definitely be cheating on him, and Moose Blood entangle every emotion that would be felt during a time such as that. I’m probably going to end up quoting pretty much the entire song, but I think that’s credit to the band. Their lyrics on pretty much every single song they have released are hard to skim over; you have to involve yourself with them, even if you want to or not.
It begins with a hard-hitting verse: “Sleep now darling / I’ll see you tomorrow / I’ll try to make this better but I can’t promise that / Cause you’re never here / I sleep alone by the phone / waiting for you to come home.” This beautiful verse is followed by the bitter and hurt-filled verse containing the lyrical gems: “Were you with him again? / I’ll just ask my friends / I guess that house we wanted is out of the question.” The breakdown sets you up perfectly for the remainder of the song, which has even better lyrics than the first half: “I’ll just pack my bags / Put my books in boxes / You’ll never be forgotten / Look after my boy / Say goodbye to your mum / Thank your dad for the bookshelf / I would have done this myself but the moment’s passed.” It’s such an in-depth display of storytelling done so beautifully that you really can’t help but feel moved by it.
As if the previous lyrics weren’t captivating enough, the post-chorus lyrics totally steal your heart, mind, ears, breath….everything. The closing line of this song is honestly my favourite lyric of all time, by any band or artist: “Bored with nothing to do but lay around listening to Deja Entendu / Thinking about you.” It’s such a great way to end the song, and it’s a really relatable lyric that Moose Blood’s audience will hugely appreciate, especially as it’s referencing an immensely influential band such as Brand New.
In the original recording used for the video, Eddy’s vocals are messy, and the production is less professional than the re-recorded album version; but it just adds to the overall helplessness of the song, I think. I do prefer the album version of the song, but it’s one of those songs that you would listen to every single version of it that was released, just to listen to it again and find more things about it to love.
The album, I’ll Keep You in Mind, From Time to Time is a really great listen, too, with other stand-out songs like “Gum,” “Pups,” and “I Hope You’re Missing Me,” but “Boston” was where my love for Moose Blood began, and I think it’s really obvious why. Once you listen to this song, you’ll be hooked on this immensely talented band for life.