They're not so strange, but they're definitely boys

The Strange Boys
"Be Brave"
2.5 stars

The Strange Boys' name promises weirdness, but "Be Brave" is pretty damn standard. Lead vocalist Ryan Sambol sounds like a whinier Bob Dylan; combined, the crew sounds like a less dramatic version of The White Stripes.

When you come to New York and say you're strange, you've got a lot to live up to, unless you're shooting for irony. Nonetheless, the boys can jam — and like the boy next door, their stuff grows on you. The music unwinds and the rhythm lulls you into a dreamy daze. It's the inclusion of a smoothly squeaking harmonica that carries us through, making swing-dancing also a possibility.
In "A Walk on the Beach," Sambol picks up the pace when he starts belching about going back to Africa. You can't help but wish you were "on the top of a mountain" beside him. Preferably, he'd be unshaven, wearing a checkered shirt and chewing on a piece of grass.

"Be Brave" is most fun when the backup vocals add the echo of a crowd to the chorus, as if we were swaying along with them at a show. As the music rolls on, the album's story unfolds. It seems like these boys are a bit homesick for pickup trucks and ranches. Ryan sings "the night life is not a good life, but it's mine." And the whole time, they're throwing out apologies to girls they left at home?

"Dare I Say" finds the group delving into spunky nostalgia. The bass imitates horse trots to create a good ol' farm atmosphere, while hints of funkiness pop up in "Laugh at Sex, Not Her." Of course, that song also features a questionable metaphor: "Sex is like laughter, you do it differently with different people ... it feels good, but it's not always possible." It sounds like a drunk dial or improvisation in the shower.

The final tracks are gloomy and regretful, both a last cry of "I won't grow up!" and a reluctant farewell to adolescence. They're trying to "be brave," but they are just boys in their early twenties, more or less strange, who miss their high school girlfriends. Manhood awaits.