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Review 1
Artist: Goobyemotel
Album: Wish Your Way
Review by Matthew Warnock
Australia has had a long history of producing some of the world’s finest rock and pop bands. From ACDC to INXS and Silverchair, Oz has helped shape the face of the global music scene since the ‘60s. With such a strong musical history, it is no surprise when a new Australian band hits the scene and turns heads the world over. Such is the case with the talented quartet goodbyemotel, whose latest EP Wish Your Way, which was produced and recorded by Julian Mendelsohn of Paul McCartney and Peter Gabriel fame, is a standout four-track release that grabs a hold of the listeners ears and keeps them wanting more after the last track has faded from the speakers.
The EP kicks off with the indie-rock-pop influenced “Red Room,” which brings to mind the flourishing indie scene of London around the turn of the 21st century. The palm-muted guitar work sets the pulse as the distorted melodic punches create interest throughout the verse. The layers of guitars continue throughout the chorus and bridge, which us punctuated by the rising melodic line played in octaves that defines the harmonic landscape of the second half of the tune. While keyboards and other sampling have made their way into the heartbeat of modern pop and to a certain extent rock, the foundation of any good rock band, and great rock song, are the guitars, and the fretwork on Wish Your Way is definitely first rate.
The quartet then moves into a slower number with the rock-ballad, and title track, “Wish Your Way.” These guys are definitely no one trick ponies, and they take this opportunity to showcase their softer side, something that broadens their appeal and shines a light on their strong musicianship. The effects added to the vocals are excellent, adding just the right amount of thickness to the vocal line without sounding overdone. This is where Mendelsohn’s finesse and touch come to the forefront, adding just the right amount of production to the track without taking away from the melodic intent of the song. Behind every great band is a great producer, and the team of goodbyemotel and Mendelsohn is as strong as it can get, bringing forth an EP that is not only expertly produced, but never overdone, something that can trip up a young band, but that is definitely not the case with Wish Your Way.
Finishing off the short but sweet EP is the rocking track “Burning Since Sunday.” Featuring the most memorable guitar riff of the album, this track is full of energy that is transmitted from the guitar to the vocals and complimented by the hard-rockin’ drum and bass work. Though the main guitar riff is simple in its construction, it digs its way into the listeners ears as any good hook should, leaving a lasting impression that sticks around long after the song has ended. These four talented musicians are not only strong individuals, but they play together with a deep sense of chemistry that is needed to push any band to the next level in their careers. These guys not only sound great together, but they sound like they’re having fun with each track, a great one-two combination.
Wish Your Way is a strong release by the talented Australian quartet goodbyemotel. With such a powerful EP, the band is leaving their listeners wanting more and looking forward to their next full-length album to hit store shelves. Though the land down under has a long list of legendary musicians to its credit, if goodbyemotel keeps releasing records like this, it won’t be long before they’re included in the top names to come out of their native Oz.
Review by: Matthew Warnock
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)
Review 2
Artist: goodbyemotel
Album: Wish Your Way
Review by: Alec Cunningham
Though Wish Your Way is not goodbyemotel’s first release, the band could not have asked to create a better EP to reintroduce themselves to the public. Since there is such a large concentration of artists with music in the indie, rock and pop categories, especially since their music is somewhat similar sounding to that of the bands The Killers and The Kooks, goodbyemotel have done well to stand their ground. With two EPs and an album already under their belt, finding their way in the chaotic music scene seems to have been no problem for them. Being from Australia, the band adds an Aussie tone to the mix, giving them a fairly large variance to help them stand out from other indie rock bands.
Wish Your Way starts off strong with “Red Room” and continues on that same path throughout the EP. The song is composed predominantly of the chorus, but the song’s hoppy, catchy beat leaves no need for lyrical intricacies. For instance, had the song been concentrated more on the lyrics, the lyrics would have competed with the melody, creating the potential of making the whole song seem somewhat overwhelming. The lyrics are most certainly not underdeveloped, however; they are thoughtful and encourage you to not only enjoy the melody, but to also listen to what is being said.
The title track of the EP, “Wish Your Way,” starts off with slow, solemn finger picking along with the soft sound of drums in the background. It continues with that beat, eventually being accompanied by another guitar in the background. At a little over half way through the song, as the second chorus comes along, the beat intensifies in a way that reinforces the emotion portrayed within both the vocals and the song lyrics. Although the EP’s other songs are impressive themselves, “Wish Your Way” especially stands out because it is different from the other three songs.
“Remember” reintroduces the peppier side of goodbyemotel, as heard in “Red Room.” They utilize their harmonizing capabilities to create a very appealing sound. And though harmonies coupled with the use of “ooh’s” in a song could place you in the category of “boy band,” goodbyemotel does a good job of minimizing those aspects enough to keep their rougher rock image intact, but make use of those talents enough to captivate their listeners and to create especially catchy tunes.
“Burning Since Sunday” sounds similar to the songs of English indie rock band The Kooks, perhaps because goodbyemotel’s Aussie roots seem to shine through more on this song than on the others. Soon enough, you will catch yourself singing along to the chorus, “Burning since Sunday, walls up on Tuesday, I know you like that.” Because of the amount of sentiment that goodbyemotel creates within their melodies and lyrics it is difficult not to become emotionally attached to their songs.
Although Wish Your Way is a short, four song album, these four songs are just enough to give you a tiny sample of what goodbyemotel is capable of. If Wish Your Way is your first experience of goodbyemotel you will more than likely be eager to delve into their previous releases. Their talent has already been acknowledged in America on mainstream television shows such as Gossip Girl and Covert Affairs, so it is only a matter of time before these guys become even more popular. Their upcoming album release will without a doubt provide them with the popularity and recognition that they deserve.
Review by: Alec Cunningham
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)
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