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Leni goodbooks

GoodBooks: Leni

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by Kev Kharas

On the evidence of 'Leni', GoodBooks are not much more, really, than your bog-standard indie band. Their latest single floats and twirls along like a wiser Maccabees, when a lack of wisdom is what makes that band so valuable. Singing in riddles, the four-piece fade into the indiest of fey indie-pop that smells like Worcestershire Sauce: cosy, poky pubs and pungent tobacco.

But, there's something there; there's something going on which makes you sus'. It's a bit too quiet, as it were. And so, with that silent, mod-ish subversion, your ears prick up and you start to listen closer. A bass slides squelching across the top of the song, leaving in its wake a thick, damp trail. A xylophone plinks and plonks away somewhere close to silence in the background. Now, that poky inn has gone from being a flagship of familiarity to something unsettling - like a cosy family pub on a comedown. The children are weird. They have tiny brains. The meat's in their mouth but the stomach's unsure. Not the kid's mouths. Did I say that, or just think it? Sit still. Laugh in the right places. Breathe deep and hope no-one notices. My eyes are too busy for my face. Face?

So there you have it: GoodBooks are as sophisticated musically as their felt jackets are sartorially. That xylophone that sounded loud at the outset continues to ring constantly just within earshot like an annoying fucking doorbell. It's the sort of thing to make you restless, to put you on edge. And you can hear it in lead singer Max Cooke's voice, who sounds like he only half understands what's going on behind him.

  • GoodBooks 6 / 10

the

middle paragraph is great. i want more reviews like that!


the lead singers name..

is not chris.

This personally is a weird choice of single. You wait until they get passendale out..


I'm hugely excited about them

actually. I like the drive and sheer potential in what they do, and while they have at least four songs better than this (sure they said at Truck that Passchendale was going to be the first full scale single) I still like this a lot.

And I speak, as I discovered last night, as one of Goodbooks' twenty fans in Leicester.


i like this

but i have no idea why. it's a bit like Hard-Fi but not fucking awful, then it's a bit like Bloc Party but not quite as good.. then it comes back in and goes YEEEEEAH.


paschendale

is the one.

those last two singles have been laaaaame.


not heard this,

but i love the cover art. for more of the feller's work, look here:

http://www.institutdrahomira.com/julienpacaud


i've tried to like this song

but I just can't see what the fuss is about. It's a really boring song, what are they all about? Theyr not awful but really nothing special. Maybe theyr a lot better live.


I swear there's a bit where it's like the feeling

"bababababa baby, I think I'm going cacaca crazy!"
No?
I really like this actually.


eh?

what kind of indulgent, sixth-form review was that? Maybe if you stopped trying to be like Mark Beaumont *shudders* and open your ears then you'd see this is an AWESOME song


a bit late I know...

but this song is totally awesome





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