For some reason it always seems more fun when we find something wonderful in unexpected places. Out of the haze of the velvet morning comes the first band to ever put the small town of Resolven, at the throbbing heart of Neath Valley, Wales, on the map. They are called, quite simply, El Goodo, and their debut, self-titled album is a gloriously effortless piece of pop music
perfection.
El Goodo was unleashed upon the British record-buying public by their
good
friends and countrymen Super Furry Animals, who originally released
their
self-titled debut on their very own independent label, Placid Casual,
in
late 2005. In many ways, El Goodo wear their hearts on their sleeves,
their
influences are many and their knack for melodies impressive. Taking
cues
from places as diverse at the Elephant 6 collective to the fuzzed up
tones
of Scotland's C86 post-punk bands, the mysterious and enigmatic members
of
El Goodo make a wonderful racket.
El Goodo are:
Jason - vocals, guitar, keyboards
Pixy - vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards, percussion
Lewis - guitars
Elliot - drums, percussion, keyboards
Matty - vocals, keyboards, samples
The band are found, as their website says, not always in that order,
but
usually together. And they are a band who appreciate a three-part
back-up
harmony, the crackle of a treble-twisted snare and a jangly guitar, not
always in that order, but usually together.
Opener "Life Station" sizzles as soon as it hits the stereo, setting
the
stage for the sunshine explosions that are "Surreal Morning" and "If I
Were
A Song" (which sounds like the best song Olivia Tremor Control never
wrote).
"What Went Wrong? (or: How I Learnt to Stop Worrying and Love the
Bomb)" is
lifted by Stax-era horns and swooning strings, while, "Esperanto Video"
has
all the makings of an Astrud Gilberto classic in a little over a
minute,
with booming drums, a glistening xylophone and syrupy orchestral
swells.
"Chalking the Line" recalls The Byrds at their most vibrant, the
farfisa
blairing, the guitars swinging, eventually breaking down in the middle
and
letting the tape loop twirl off its hinge until they decide to pick the
song
back up again and end it properly, putting you right back in the middle
of a
rock song so mind-blowingly good, you might have to pinch yourself just
to
double check you're not imagining it.
El Goodo are one of life's wonderful anomalies. We're not sure how many
other enchantingly gifted pop music sorcerers there are in Neath
Valley,
deepest Wales, but we bet it's not many. Let's treasure them like the
strange exotic creatures they are.
El Goodo's self titled album is released on Empyrean Records on October
10th.
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