Live Video: Junior Boys

Who would have thought a "Big Black Coat" could be so inviting? The album of that name is the first in nearly five years for KEXP favorites Junior Boys, and it comes not just as a return to form but a revisitation of the pop sounds they've cherished for some time - house, techno, soul, disco and R&B. It had been about as long since since the Hamilton, Ontario duo had been on our airwaves, and live in the new KEXP studio, Jeremy Greenspan and Matt Didemus did not disappoint: between some drum pads, sparse guitar, and a table full of electronic madness, the live trio (with touring drummer Dale Butterfield) brought the welcoming vibe of tracks like "So This Is Goodbye" and the cool balladry of "Over It" to life. They closed with the album's title track, a cut that they've previously explained was inspired by some of the lonely men they see slinking around Ontario - destitute, frustrated, and hiding inside their coats. However, there was nothing lonely and cut off about their performance as they chopped up vocal samples and loops underneath an athletic barrage of hi-hats, welcoming us all within the warmth of their sound.