The Illness - GoodBooks Single Review
Photo By:Jenny Lewis
Single Review
Oh the joys of the cowbell. Sometimes they are impostors on popular music as they usually lead to that jerky indie stuff which has been whored to death, but not this time.
What makes 'The Illness' work is the sheer attention to detail and texture, not to mention the energy too. These guys seem to be starting with a pretty basic indie skeleton, but it's the decoration they put in which really sets it apart from most of the music being spoon fed to us all at the moment. The verse guitars wrap themselves around the synth bass lines delectably and the electronica: subtle but effective crops up perfectly, particularly in the verse intervals. Not many bands 'get' that if I'm honest but it's nice when one does!
The chorus serves its purpose very well in reaching the climactic point of the track, with a great high vocal melody and soaring synth lines adding so much to this part of 'The Illness'. It makes this single a great 'pop song' and that is certainly nothing to frown at.
What struck me most of all about this single is really the progression from start to finish. The second verse for example almost doubles in energy compared to the first and the guitars and drums are really 'going for it'! Yet still, when that chorus comes in again, 'The Illness' picks up to yet a more palatable height.
Out of nowhere we then get our joyful little cowbell again playing to the 'your dancing, tripping up - bruised' chant which for me, stands out perfectly and really sets up the chorus finale.
If I had to compare and you know well we all do, I'd say 'GoodBooks' are a more capable and interesting 'Athlete' but with so much more to give. There is definitely some 'Blocparty' in their bloodstream too and maybe even a little 'Postal Service'. But at the same time, tracks like this single show they can definitely stand on their own feet.
'Goodbooks' are producing great reads over and over again from a library of musical wealth and 'The Illness' is certainly near the top of the stack.
You may be interested in
- Thu 16th Oct 2008
- Fri 17th Oct 2008
- Sat 18th Oct 2008
- Sun 19th Oct 2008
- Mon 20th Oct 2008
- Tue 21st Oct 2008
- Wed 22nd Oct 2008
- Fri 24th Oct 2008
- Sat 25th Oct 2008
- Sun 26th Oct 2008
- Thu 30th Oct 2008
- Fri 31st Oct 2008
- Sat 01st Nov 2008
- Mon 03rd Nov 2008
