I caught How I Became the Bomb for the first time at the Exit In last Friday and it was… really dull. What am I missing here? I will give them some benefit of the doubt since it was their first time at the Exit and I can understand some jitters. But they didn’t show any jitters. In fact jitters would have been some welcome excitement. They played a note-perfect set that was incredibly steady for a band that’s about a year old. It was impressive in a way but completely unexciting. Usually youthful nerves and energy compensate for less-than-catchy songs but HIBTB hit all the notes and perfectly delivered their songs that I can’t remember. Only “Secret Identity” and “Robo” stood out. I’d previously thought “Robo” needed to be halved in length but at least it was 5 minutes of catchiness in an otherwise forgettable set.

I had wondered before seeing them if they were just a gimmick — a few Moogs and keytars and funny songs about robots and spies. I’m not ready to label them with such an epithet until I’ve seen them again and heard more songs but I will share what one of my friends told me right before the show: “I love them because they remind me of the eighties.”

Hm. And that’s what a fan thinks.