A song going out “to all the deadbeat dads” isn’t the most usual of song themes, but here’s where Toronto artist Afie Jurvanen (aka bahamas) steps in with this straight-talking, alternative perspective in ‘Bad Boys Needs Love Too’. It’s a slinky, slow-paced affair with vocal support from Felicity Williams and James Gadson, who with a half-rap approach paints an all too familiar picture in that first verse: “all the deadbeat dads and the kids that they had, the ones that’s left behind, always up on their minds, to know that there’s no excuse to leave a boy in his youth, and now that dirty secret’s just some ugly truth.” The moment where Jurvanen takes centre stage is from 2:05 where a fiery, retro rock guitar comes into play, taking over that brooding, bass vocal refrain. Look out for bahamas’ album Earthones, out on January 19th via Bushfire/Republic Records. - HT