Telling tales of outlandish dandies and dastardly deceivers, Toy is a timeless record, full of wicked waltzes and intoxicating tangos. Throughout the album, mutton-chopped head Blue Boy, Jaime Nanci, displays a truly impressive set of pipes, and his stellar four-octave voice often shines as bright as the stars of his stories. Featuring nine gripping yarns, which boast more glamour than Lady Gaga’s boudoir, Toy is steeped in jazz, alt pop and blues.
Opening with ‘Take Me To The Market’, which giddily glides between a TV theme tune-style melody (reminiscent of Bagpuss or The Wombles) and Alison Moyet-esque waltz rhythms, the record is a genre-straddling riot. Standouts include the stark re-imagining of ‘Wicked Game’ and the whimsical, woodwind-driven sashay of ‘Cassanova Street’. Fans of cult crooners like Marc Almond and Tom Waits should feel duty-bound to check this out.