Boytoy Sez: G’day, Mates!
Discovering Boytoy can be a confusing experience. Visit the web page for the band’s 2014 self-titled debut EP and you’ll read that the group is from Tasmania. “For some reason, when we started our Bandcamp page our origin came up as Australia,” says singer and guitarist Saara Untracht-Oakner, “and we couldn’t figure out how to change it.” The band – which is in fact from Brooklyn – did tour with Australian legends Midnight Oil, so there is some down-under connection.
And then there’s the matter of the band members’ names. Untracht-Oakner started the group in 2012 with guitarist Glenn Van Dyke, and after some lineup changes, Boytoy coalesced around the trio of her, Saara, Glenn and drummer Chase Noelle. But both Glenn and Chase are women. “So we’re a female band, and we also have a bass player now.” (Less confoundingly, the bassist is named Lena Simon.)
But there’s nothing confusing about Boytoy’s music. Drawing equally from punk’s stripped-down energy and classic pop, Boytoy makes music that’s both exciting and catchy. “I’ve always really appreciated a good, solid pop song,” says Untracht-Oakner. “But we’re a rock and roll band.”
As appealing as the band’s earlier work is – check out “Shallow Town” from the 2014 EP for proof – a listen to Boytoy’s latest album, Night Leaf (released April 27) showcases a much more assured, confident and – gasp! – relaxed band. The confidence, Untracht-Oakner says “comes from just growing together as a band.”
And the relaxed (but still urgent) vibe of Boytoy’s new music might be a product of where the record was made. “We recorded Night Leaf in Topanga Canyon,” Untracht-Oakner says. “We’d surf in the morning and then record on this ranch with animals all around.” The band worked with producer Kyle Mullarkey, who’s worked on albums by the Allah-Las and the Growlers. “It was cool to come in with a bunch of songs as sort of finished products, but then completely change and rearrange them,” Saara says.
Don’t look for Night Leaf on compact disc, though. It’s available only digitally and on vinyl. “Vinyl is the ultimate,” says Untracht-Oakner. “It feels the most real and the most immortal.”
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.