Anti-Consumerism in an Accessible Package

As great as albums are, there's something special about a single, especially if it's a band's only output. When there are only one or two songs to choose from, it creates a bit of mystery and excitement: A single teases more material to come, and it changes a song's context entirely.

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Johnny Boy favors long song titles and infectious choruses. Paul Banks hide caption

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Paul Banks

Johnny Boy favors long song titles and infectious choruses.

Paul Banks

The London duo Johnny Boy returns to this great tradition with "You Are the Generation That Bought More Shoes and You Get What You Deserve," a single that's as catchy as its title is long. With a sound rooted in '60s girl-group anthems, it's an underground pop masterpiece: Sly and timeless, it works on multiple levels.

Incorporating a wall of sound worthy of Phil Spector -- complete with intense strings and crashing cymbals -- Johnny Boy converts its wordy and unmistakable message into a chorus that's never as unwieldy as it should be. The title is rumored to refer to TV's Sex and the City, but that just adds to the mystery. Luckily, the B-side is terrific, too.

Listen to yesterday's 'Song of the Day.'