Kelly Kirwan
Certain phrases have a way of catching your attention, like a distant reflection among otherwise unremarkable scenery. The GTs have one of those lines, which serves as a poetic summary of their sound: it will “break your heart perfectly.” In particular, those four words capture the essence of their latest single, "Bad Boy," a song that revels in the punchy, bluesy rock n’ roll the Montreal-based act call their own.
We all know the trope of the "bad boy" in pop culture: there’s bound to be chaos and heartbreak, but their allure is irresistible nonetheless. The GTs' track pivots around that character, as guitars blaze across the melody with such cacophonous intensity you nearly expect an electric shock in its wake. We hear the croon, “To each his own, I get all fucked up / You bitch and moan, you’re a stick in the mud,” a defiant statement of going against the grain, and relishing every moment of doing so.
The video that accompanies "Bad Boy" is a montage of vintage images, consisting of clips from television shows and cartoons that often border on the surreal. A biplane flies upside down, cigarettes dance across a table, an animated silhouette of man is injected with a giant needle, a young man with a '50s rebel vibe tries (unsuccessfully) to outrun a police officer. These shots are mostly innocuous, but taken together, they feel like a subliminal rallying call. "Bad Boy" is a less-than-subtle push to let loose, to indulge in riotous stupor by marring the pristine with the nonsensical. We're left with the impression that, even if The GTs break your heart, you won’t regret it.