Goonies Never Say Die

In A Forest Without Trees

Written by: DR on 29/10/2009 23:08:08

No, they aren't a pop-punk band, and I doubt I'm the only one who assumed they would be, based on that nonsensical name. They are in fact post-rock, and as a self-confessed post-rock lover I probably should have figured as much - the quad-barreled isn't exactly uncommon in the genre. Unlike most of their peers, whose names leave me in awe, "Goonies Never Say Die" had me 'gavomiting' (to borrow a phrase from Dr. Cox). And though it may not be as romantic as such names as "This Will Destroy You", "Explosions In The Sky" and "God Is An Astronaut", it undoubtedly cemented itself in my noodle, and over time I'll probably end up loving it in its own ironic way anyhow.

"In A Forest Without Trees" is this quintet from Blackpool's debut, and who'd have thought that a city where, according to Frankie Boyle, "you get chlamydia from eating the chips" could produce a band that create some quite impressive post-rock. The word "quite" is key here.

Some albums are completely transparent, you only need to listen a few times before you suss them out, others require far more attention and patience. "In A Forest Without Trees" lurks somewhere between, in its own niched grey area. I've listened patiently, unbiased and hopefully, and I feel I have a good overall understanding of it. I liked it, and I think plenty of others will like it too. But I have to say specifically what I liked about it, and that becomes a problem. I can draw on a few 'wow' moments, like the brilliantly eerie "The Scene Where Everyone Dies" which would be perfect for the movie scene the title suggests, and "Sometimes It's Not So Bad", which is actually the shortest song on the album (intro aside) at 3 minutes and 40 seconds long, however, in that short time it somehow manages to build up to a rousing crescendo. Compared to those moments, the rest just seems...there, and if you're not careful, it'll pass you by before you know it.

This album has been a bit of problem for me to review, it's capable post-rock, I could, and have, listened to it pleasantly for hours on repeat, but identifying which songs stood out, what was particularly good about it became a slight enigma for me. Despite those few great moments, the rest just seems to blend in together to form an albeit decent, yet identical and relatively unambitious mass. The fact that the landscape is a bit standardised doesn't necessarily mean you won't enjoy the ride though, does it?

Download: Sometimes It's Not So Bad, The Scene Where Everyone Dies, Get All Your Ducks In A Row
For Fans of: Codes In The Clouds, Sunlight Ascending, Caspian
Listen: Deep Elm Records band page

Release Date 07.09.2009
Deep Elm Records

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