op/Pop Rock group Boboski and Brakus is made up of Canadians Ben Boboski and Tony Brakus. First converging in the early 80′s and then getting back together in 2009, the duo produce solid Pop/Rock tunes that sound like Pink Floyd meets 80′s synth band. The band re-recorded some of their earlier work, and the 80′s influence is apparent. This gives their music a throw-back, unique feel, but also runs the risk of sounding outdated and stale.

“Not For You” starts out with a funky intro, with keyboards, drums, and synthesizers heavy in the beginning. The vocals are decent, with the singing in a high register. The song has an almost ethereal quality to it, and puts the listener in a trance. “By A Thread” is a slightly slower song that showcases good guitar playing with rhythmic talking vocals, sort of like Rap or Spoken Word. Synthesizers come into the song midway to mix with the “rapping” which makes for a surreal, weird mixture. This could be seen as a bad aspect of the song, but it does keep the listener interested, curious to see where the song goes next. Another song with less of an 80′s influence is “Across the Lane.” The tempo is slow and features more excellent guitar playing. The vocals are decent– the singer is not the best vocalist, but his sound is not terrible either. The song has a dreamy quality (it features a sleepy bossa-nova type beat). The instrumentation is good– with drums and keyboards along with the guitars.

Boboski and Brakus is a band with obvious 80′s roots, with interesting songs that mix Rock elements with 80′s Synth flair. The vocals are decent, but the singing works better than the talking, spoken word and/or rapping that they sometimes commit themselves to. And even though the 80′s characteristics give the duo’s music uniqueness, unfortunately the elements are ones that have not stood the test of time. The heavy synth qualities sound dated. But anyone looking for 80′s nostalgic music or tunes that are surprising and a bit weird, this is the band for you. Different styles and types of instruments mixing together to produce unpredicting songs, and 80′s influence creates a unique sound for this band that have been around for twenty plus years. With a broader more diverse fan base they have the potential to stick around for twenty more.