Its true, boys are allowed to cry and with things like the Me Too movement making huge waves this year, its great to see mental health and masculine sensitivity being recognised now more than ever. Danny McMahon‘s poignant new EP ‘Boys Cry Too’ is a great example of the way male artists are no longer afraid to wear their emotions on their sleeves and sing it from the rooftops.
Opening with the country-pop ballad ‘Everything’, the track introduces the EP wonderfully, showcasing Danny’s deep rich vocal tone as it soars over the commercial country musical stylings. It can come off a little cheesy at times with lyrics such as “you don’t know what you’ve got till its gone” reminding us a little of the likes of Bryan Adams in parts, but that’s certainly not a bad thing, just perhaps not for everyone’s tastes.
Next up is title track ‘Boys Cry Too’ and, as we’ve mentioned already, the song title battles male stigma head-on and we love Danny for that. A little slow in pace, it feels bluesier than the previous track but just as powerful. Danny’s voice is full of purity and honesty throughout, reminding us of early Taylor Swift. One thing is for sure, boy do cry too and its nothing to be ashamed of. Danny gets this point across perfectly.
Previous single ‘When I See You’ follows on. Another big ballad but more acoustically driven than prior tracks. This one was not written by Danny himself but by a songwriter called Dan Evans who wrote the song about his grandfather who had recently passed away. You definitely can notice a change in writing style but Danny’s warm, emotive vocal style enables the song to become completely his own.
Ending with ‘Pushing My Hands Down’, this is definitely the most upbeat track on the EP and a fitting way to end the emotional rollercoaster we’ve just been on. Elements of blues and soft rock are entwined within country-pop sensibilities creating a sound that is both catchy and heartrending at the same time.
Over all ‘Boys Cry Too’ is an extremely impressive release from Danny McMahon. A little cheesy at times, but who doesn’t like a little cheese? It feels as though Danny is making changes to the country-pop scene and he’s not afraid to cry about it and for that, we applaud him.
‘Boys Cry Too’ is out now.