Artist : GoodBooks
Album : The Illness
Label : Columbia
Genre : Indie
Bitrate : 192 kbps avg
Source : UK CDM
Playtime : 00:13:13 (19.2MB)
Rls date : 2007-05-07
Store date : 2007-05-07
[Track List]
1. The Illness 3:20
2. Williams Boat 2:42
3. Running Away 3:26
4. I Will Find You 3:45
The new single from imaginative Kent four-piece,
GoodBooks, begins with a mechanical whir that could
possibly be the sound of JP Duncan's arcane keyboard being
brought to life. Alternatively, it may be some equally
mysterious piece of medical equipment coming to the aid of
the unnamed sufferer from the titular 'illness'.
Similarly, the track ends with what may be the death
throes of the same keyboard, or perhaps the unfortunate
patient. The sound, akin to a fading life support machine,
will be familiar to any keen viewer of hospital-based
drama.
However, these brushes with mortality aside, this track is
anything but dead in the water - everything in-between
being extremely lively indeed. Within seconds the
mechanical hum is superseded by a frenetic battle between
stabbing guitars and cowbell-heavy percussion. (The jury
is still out as to who actually won.) The lyrics -
delivered with typical fragility by Max Cooke - are
slightly impenetrable (although there's every reason to
suspect that they've something to do with 'illness'...
it's just a hunch, you know.) Meanwhile the aforementioned
keyboard provides just as much twiddle, noodle and obtuse
counterpoint as it has done in the band's previous
releases. So whilst the narrative may require a few more
listens to fathom, it's a good job that this is a tune
which will happily endure many repeated listens.
Of slight disappointment is the fact that the track (on
the promotional disc, at least) is merely accompanied by
an 'instrumental version'. I thought this mediaeval
practice had been outlawed under the provisions of the
Geneva convention, to be honest. However, I'll give the
boys the benefit of the doubt on the grounds that
indications point towards the 'proper' release being
accompanied by three other tracks, and nary an
instrumental throwaway in sight. If anyone else gets to
listen to them, please let me know whether they're any
good. But if the lead track is any guide to form, then
they've every chance of being really rather decent indeed.