Cherryfalls have a lot to be thanked for. Without them, it’s possible that Boy Kill Boy would not be here today.

After taking Future of Junior’s bassist Jim Lewis, the remaining Leytonstone members bought in current bassist Kev Chase and formed Boy Kill Boy in 2004. Since the release of debut album (and top 20 charted) Civilian in May 2006, the group have gone through a series of slight evolutions to keep them at the sharp end of the Indie Rock pile.

The first notable effect is the refining of the keyboard, played dutifully by Pete Carr. Whereas on their debut, the brazen sounds that blared out on Back Again and Friday – Friday for example were ripe for replication by no-marks for years to follow, Stars and The Sea sees a subtler, tactful approach taken.

In fact, on opener Promises, it’s difficult to hear the input on occasion. There’s definitely an organic (read: less brazen) appeal, with Dirty Pretty Things instantly ringing in the ears as a comparison as the guitar bounces along, ala Bang Bang, You’re Dead.

The second effect is on Chris Peck’s vocals. They’ve been restrained and reigned in a little to play to his strengths of singing mid-range notes. The bonus track of Last Of The Great on Civilian seems to have acted as a pre-cursor to BKB on their second album, with musicianship taking an ever greater step forward.

Only Ready To Go sounds a little too stunted and focussed on former glories, with following tune Rosie’s On Fire just surviving the obvious Killers comparisons to avoid complete boredom. In almost a completely hypocritical reversal, Kidda – Kidda goes in the complete opposite and sounds lackadaisical with its country lilts on Peck’s guitar.

BKB’s first single from Stars… entitled No Conversation also gives a major nod toward producer Dave Sardy (Rage Against The Machine, Oasis) with its distinctly anthemic vibe. In fact, it’s not too out of keeping with the efforts found on Hundred Reasons’ Kill Your Own after recording with Sardy in the most complimentary of ways.

Fortunately, the good times continue into the mid-point of the album, with both Loud And Clear and Be Somebody recalling previous efforts but with a greater collaboration between each members’ instrumentation; No longer are they purely a sum of bit parts. 

Where Be Somebody may have fallen like Ready To Go before, instead it holds its own by refusing to go over the top, and Loud and Clear works by changing up the effects on the guitar and adopting a semi dreamscape with the keyboard – now with piano effect.

It only continues to improve, as Paris – with addictive chorus of “Don’t go, leave this behind/Stay here for a while” – and frenetic guitar work in the final third ramp up the intensity. It’s a different picture in A-OK, as a sixties drum beat keeps things on a melancholy route.

Closing out with layered guitars, drums, handclaps and bass on penultimate tune Pen ‘n Ink and the floating ballad of Two Souls, Boy Kill Boy show that they do have the ability to survive in the cut-throat business, even if the fickle public may dismiss them before giving them a secondary shot.

It seems they’re destined to be damned if they do and damned if they don’t. By the looks of it, Boy Kill Boy couldn’t give a damn either way.