F***boy | 3BOPS

1. Badflower, “Fukboi”

💿 This is How the World Ends • 🏷 Big Machine / John Varvatos • 📅 2021

“He could be anyone’s mistake / Just say your boyfriend’s out of town / Don’t let him bum a cigarette.”  🎵 “Fukboi” appears as the second track on 💿 This is How the World Ends, the sophomore album by L.A. rock collective, 🎙 Badflower. For 🎙 Josh Katz and company, the colorfully titled record marks the third single from the LP. Produced by Katz, 🎛 Scott Borchetta, and 🎛 John Varvatos, the two-minute-and-forty-second cut marks a bright spot for the underrated band.

As you’d expect, Mr. Katz isn’t a fan of fuckboys, evidenced in several instances:

“Respect? No Way!
He’s from California
Show up! Get Laid!
They can’t all ignore ya
La- La- La- La- La- La- La- La- La-
Good luck, fukboi
No one’s rooting for ya.”

Katz highlights the ‘fuckboy playbook’ and how utterly shameless they are.  What really sells “Fukboi” are the aggressive, expressive vocals.  He’s proven to be an animated, electrifying front man.  A section worth noting, I like the change of pace on the bridge before Katz and company rachet up the aggressiveness once more.  Also, “Fukboi” isn’t merely about those godawful f-boys, or those filthy f-bombs uttered.  There’s a compelling instrumental supporting Josh, comprised of driving bass, aggressive guitars, and pummeling drums. Woo!

2. Brakence, “fuckboy”

💿 Punk2 • 🏷 Columbia • 🗓 2020 

“Fuckboy tryna play my homie / But 2020 I’ma take time on me / Out the window where my mainline goes / This is sacrilegious how I’m gon’ fade off IG.” What better than a teenager (🎙 brakence) who can express pain? Angst is a potent and powerful thing! Even better is the fact that he not only reflects on loss (“Heartache comes in many forms” or “This shit ain’t the same if I can’t breathe your air”) but strives to be a better person.  That means, some tough decisions, which he opens up about on the second verse (“Shouldn’t fall in love and I shouldn’t go to college.”

Besides the honest, and ‘swagger-laden’ lyrics, “fuckboy” features unique production work.  It’s best characterized as pop, but not straightforward.  The beat adds a hip-hop sensibility, as do the pitch-shifted vocals.  A fuckboy definitely has a negative connotation, but this 🎵 “Fuckboy” (💿 Punk2) is pretty sweet!

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 25 COLORFUL SONGS, CLEARLY For Under Consent [of the] King
🔗 🎧 15 Songs That Possess a Negative Connotation
🔗 🎧 51 Best Songs of 2020 (So Far): Year in Review
🔗 🎧 100 BEST SONGS OF 2020: 100 – 76
🔗 🎧 100 BEST SONGS OF 2020

3. JBACH, “fuckboy”

🎵 “fuckboy” • 🏷 The Krusty Krab • 📅 2021

“I gave a fuckboy my heart.” Alas, 🎙 JBACH, that was a gargantuan mistake.  He continues singing on 🎵 “fuckboy,” “My friends they tried to warn me / Somehow they knew from the start.” Clearly, the Chaldean (Iraqui) American LGBTQ 🏳️‍🌈 musician was blinded by what he perceived to be love on this brief, two-minute ballad.  Of course, the dashingly handsome Detroit, Michigan native was burned.  That, of course, is what those no-good fuckboys do!

Despite his pain from being burned, JBACH sings in a soft, beautiful, and expressive voice – angelic to be honest.  He’s accompanied by guitar primarily, with the production expanding as the record progresses.  That said, the production is much more ‘non troppo’ than overblown.  Naturally, he sings about falling for too easily and giving his all for little in return.  Ultimately, he asserts, “Don’t know why, I do such dumb shit for love.” The truth is, don’t we all or have at some point in our lives? It’s easy to be blinded by an illusion, and that’s exactly what this fuckboy was to JBACH.  You live, love, and learn, right?