In the music industry, it can be easy to fall into the suffocating box of taking yourself and your art too seriously. BOYR!OT, however, is a refreshing rejection of this common entrapment; they embrace pure fun and expression within their artistry. This intention has stayed consistent throughout the duo’s musical journey.
With their newest single, “HOLLYWOOD NIGHTMARE,” BOYR!OT doesn’t ask for permission before shoving you into the whirlwind that is a pop-punkified night-out. The track is hit with flashes of Adam Lambert, 3OH!3 and even Lady Gaga — taking us back to those messy, paparazzi-swarmed early-2000s club nights. BOYR!OT channels these influences and creates something that relishes in unhinged grit.
First matching on Tinder in 2017, Greg Driscoll and Brendan Eprile discovered a creative spark together and formed their first project, Fab the Duo. A few quiet years went by, and their reinvention as BOYR!OT crashed onto the scene with the duo’s first single being “MA!N CHARACTER,” a very fitting title. Their campy confidence has driven their goal of putting out music for fellow queer kids who never related to the bands they grew up with, and “HOLLYWOOD NIGHTMARE” is a raging outlet for expression that nourishes this kind of connection.
Opening with the muffled, filtered echo of the words “Hollywood nightmare,” Driscoll’s voice hits the listener’s ears as he’s on the precipice of a crashout — ranting about his depletion that will soon turn into shameless thrill, “My life’s on fire / Man I’m really tired / Yeah these times / They’re dire / F*ck these fake ass liars.” Lyrically, the track is playfully blunt in its wildness. Verses like, “I’ve got a hot date between me and the floor,” are self-aware in their chaos. The chants in the background put you directly on the streets of Hollywood on a Saturday night, surrounded by noise, bodies and awful decisions just waiting to be made.
As Driscoll preludes the night ahead in the verses, Eprile is in the thick of it as he kicks out into the chorus, “I’m crashing out on Sunset Boulevard / I got kicked out of The Whiskey / Wanna smash some guitars.” There’s a rock n’ roll eagerness pulsing underneath the song, and it captures the electrifying essence of a night out that never seems to end.
Sonically, “HOLLYWOOD NIGHTMARE,” is pop-punk with an EDM heart and a rock n’ roll soul. The electric guitar acts as the base that drives though the whole song, giving it a steady, yet engaging backbone while techno details and smaller sonic additions pump up the frenzied energy, while somehow keeping the track cohesive. As the song spirals toward its breakdown, the fun-loving inclusion of comedic news report snippets with drunken, high interviewees adds another layer of spectacle. It takes talent to weave comedy into music without coming across as a parody, and BOYR!OT does that successfully while creating a space for listeners to feel the duo’s personality in every musical choice.
Attitude drips out of every enunciation and every curse. It’s playful, bold and assertive in its mayhem. “HOLLYWOOD NIGHTMARE” is an emotional crashout wrapped up in neon lights, camera flashes and has the lingering scent of tequila and sweat. The reckless energy comes alive on stage when Driscoll and Eprile are joined by guitarist Constance Antoinette and drummer Jessican Goodwin.
Both in the comfort of your bedroom and in the craze of their live shows, BOYR!OT dares you to lose control, and their latest single, “HOLLYWOOD NIGHTMARE,” is the exact spark to light that inner fuse.
Keep up with BOYR!OT:
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