Goodbye Lenin
Track - Little France
Starts like you´d expect a Blink 182 song to start, sadly it doesn´t continue in the same vein. This band oozes like a shaken bottle of their main influences which are the Pixies, Smashing Pumpkins, Arcade Fire and King´s of Leon. Not a bad thing (well Arcade Fire suck but the rest are epic), however it does give the impression of being too confused. Whilst the main guitar riff throughout this track is nice and something I could grow to love it is used too sparingly. Vocals improve as the song continues with the tempo building accompanied by a Black Kids harmony into the end of the song which has the classic stop everything and press stop of the tape recorder.
Track - Major Tom
Now I´m usually open minded about song titles, I mean I like a band called Lightyear and they had a track called 200 Kebab Shops, however I was not hopeful what so ever about this title. The track was nice though, after a weak intro is out of the way some good vocals kick in and they crank up the effects on the guitars to blast out a strong track which reminds me of the swagger of many a Mancunian band. The vocals sound just like the Happy Mondays, the track builds into a long instrumental interlude which is clearly a display of their talent, when the vocals do eventually kick back in I almost screamed "I am the resurrection!" If you don´t get the reference don´t worry it´s not biblical.
Track - Laughter Track
Classic no messing track here, with a nice little ditty which leads us into more heavy backbeat all just laying the path for this lyrical orgy. Strange little pause in the middle but when it comes back, it´s bliss, lovely harmonies with great vocals laid over. By far the best track yet, could maybe lose one of the Smashing Pumpkins style slowing of pace and I´m sure it would be a live classic. This could definitely lift the roof on the liquid rooms and I´m rather glad I wasn´t there for their Henry´s Cellar Bar gig as I wouldn´t be able to help myself jumping around, no doubt resulting in a concussion given the size of the place.
Track - Bonfire Night
1960´s high school track here, surely more of an uplifting track not meaning it too seriously here, if they are apologies. Nice guitar riffs throughout which will get you swinging, all it needs is a couple of trumpets and we would have a ska track akin to Reel Big Fish. I do enjoy bouncing my head along to lyrics about your "ancestors turning in their grave", I´m sure there is some social commentary there however it´s just too happy to be dragged down by getting a message across. Ironic Indeed.
Verdict
Goodbye Lenin are a four piece band playing from Scotland Capital after forming in 2007, "We work with a lot of harmonies, detuned guitars, missing beats, asymmetrical song structures, etc" (Jon Lo). I noticed the harmonies and the missing beats and thought it added little to a couple of the songs and appeared to be forced and unnecessary. Great potential however simplistic is sometimes the way forward, overcomplication won´t win album sales. Enjoyable listen and I would definitely purchase a copy of Laughter Track. I´m sure I´ll catch these guys at a venue somewhere between Henry´s and Murrayfield.
Link - Goodbye Lenin MySpace
Reviewed by Scottish Steve
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