Drawing intensely from their Waiting Game LP, released last fall on City Slang, the minimalist orchestral textures, while moody, were filled with a mounting joy and low-level excitement that edged towards breaking out at any moment. But that was not the case. A deliberate decision to maintain the feel-good tension lingered throughout the steadfast delivery of atmospheric tenderness. Waiting game indeed, as Greenspan, the Junior Boys’ chief architect, smiled upon his appreciative audience and touched his heart. 

Accompanied by two other players who graciously added an extra set of keys and sparse jazzy bits with guitar and gorgeous saxophone teasers, the Eno-eccentric ebb and flow was executed and embraced with absolute affection. A beauty buzz was in the air. And when Greenspan announced, “We haven’t played this one in awhile,” then broke into their hip-shaking single “In The Morning,” it was the well-deserved icing spread lovingly all over the cake. 

Junior Boys continue their Waiting Game tour with a stop in Vancouver at the Hollywood Theatre on Friday, Jan. 20.