If I told you that El Goodo were the Welsh Jayhawks, I think you'd believe me without ever having heard the group's music. I mean, the band's name clues you in that they're Big Star fans, just like the Jayhawks, and the tunes here are not far off either. If El Goodo are more interested in neo-psychedelic pop than alt-country twang, I could that as a plus too. I saw someone call the new album, Zombie, out now on Strangetown Records, something like the Welsh Coral and I can get with that, though I think El Goodo write bigger, better tunes these days than even The Coral did in their heyday.
This group's released four albums so far but Zombie is by far their most consistent, enjoyable long-player yet. While a number like "The Grey Tower" builds upon the kind of song structures that earned this lot some comparisons to The Coral, opener "Things Turn Around" is more straightforward. It's a tune that's like "Demons" by Super Furry Animals (Strangetown Records is run by two of the Furries, of course), only injected with a dash of something more mainstream, and slightly American in sound. "You Let Me Down" has an explicitly country twang about it, but these cats aren't interested in being pegged as Alt Country, of course, because their chops in other styles are so strong.
"In a Daze One Sunday Morning" owes a debt or two to the Boo Radleys at their most mainstream, even as "Sounds Good to Me, Man" and "I Can't Leave" maintain a vibe right out of the Beat Group of the Sixties. If one hears a faint trace of The Zombies here, you're not the only one. Still, for all the talk of other bands, El Goodo work best when they throw all this stuff into a blender and come out on the other side with something familiar but elegantly catchy. While closer "If the Coast is Clear" has a big singalong vibe that's reminiscent of Oasis, that's an indication that El Goodo are as adept at aiming for the art of the Big Tune as much as they are at distilling about a dozen worthy influences down into their sound. And while so much of Zombie will feel familiar to many listeners, it's still a superbly enjoyable record, and a clear progression for this band.
More details on Zombie via the Strangetown Records Facebook page.
More details on El Goodo via the band's official Facebook page.
[Photo: Debbie Ellis / El Goodo Facebook]