The Boxing Lesson represents a step forward for the radio-friendly, listener-repellent alt-rock genre. There are a lot of synthesizers, atmospheric reverb and other interesting production touches. At the base of TBL’s sound, however, is still that same alt-rock shtick, even if it’s been puffed up, compositionally improved and blasted off into “outer fucking space,” as their MySpace page describes their sound. Psh, sorry “songwriter and astronaut†Paul Waclawsky, your band’s about as spacey as an episode of “The Magic School Bus”. 
The problem becomes most apparent when lead singer Waclawsky opens his mouth. His singing sounds trained (strained as well, in case you though that was typo) and it lacks sincerity, ruining whatever merit TBL could have. If you’re gonna fake it, take lessons from this guy, not every lame so-called “alternative rock†band on the radio.
What’s worse, TBL has some of the worst lyrics I’ve had to review in my tenure as a rock writer. My favorite are in “Hanging With The Wrong Crowd†where the lyrics are so hilariously obtuse that Waclawsky could be considered the Ed Wood of songwriting. The song opens with a killer, which I’m pretty sure reads something like, “she’s a sex assassin / she’s been coming for days / she’s got them in attraction / she’s a phase.†And you gotta love the ending where Waclawsky yells, “She’s such a whore! She’s such a whore!†Did he get commissioned to write this by his local PTA or something? By comparison, the lyrics in my University’s upcoming Superbad musical make the songwriter look like Leonard Cohen.
Admittedly the music at times does have some interesting touches, like the ambitious, Radiohead-esque “Lowerâ€, or the Wall-era Pink Floyd-ian “Muertaâ€. Unfortunately, neither of these tracks, nor any of the others on the album, ever get off the ground being too weighted down by their own Coldplay-level pomposity.
I’m not even going to bother picking on the title of the band and the album (Wild Streaks and Windy Days? Seriously? If you’re on drugs, please buy better ones). This is an album that isn’t worth your time. If you’re looking for some kind of wild streak (I doubt you’re looking for windy days) pick up a Stooges or an MC5 album, there’s nothing to be learned from this lesson.
Wild Streaks and Windy Days is available now.
Tracklisting:
01. Dark Side of the Moog
02. Brighter
03. Lower
04. Hopscotch and Sodapop
05. Hanging with the Wrong Crowd
06. Muerta
07. Scoundrel
08. Freedom
09. Timing
10. The Art of Pushing Me Away
11. Dance with Meow
12. Wild Streaks and Windy Days
The Boxing Lesson: myspace
Written by: Marc Z. Grub
