Good Life, The – Help Wanted Nights Reviewed by Witz

Folk guitar driven indie. The Good Life is Tim Kasher’s (Cursive) current side-project, now releasing their fourth full-length album. More so than in previous albums, the band seems to be taking cues from Kasher’s childhood friend, Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes). A collection of songs originally written to accompany a screenplay Kasher has been writing, these songs range in emotion and energy, but are all tied together through folky guitars, country rhythms, and Kasher’s distinctive voice. The Good Life lacks the overt anger and experimental style of Cursive, but contains the same raw emotion and willingness to express it. FCC CLEAN

1) Slow, country-folk song about being in limbo with a girl. Sounds like Bright Eyes.
*2) Medium paced, more upbeat sounding. Nice bass, vocals, and lead guitar.
3) Short song about heartbreak. Like a more upbeat Leonard Cohen.
**4) Rolling, clashy track. Good vocals with some distortion.
5) Meandering ballad without too much variation. Well constructed, but a little boring.
*6) Up-tempo, good vocals, rolling almost rock.
7) Bouncy, sad vocals disguised by guitars. About “playing dumb” in a relationship.
**8) Bass driven, slow, but steady and grows on you. Reminiscent of The Cure, The Pixies.
9) Quiet song about letting go that builds on itself. Vocals a bit like Lou Reed.
10) 11 minute epic ranging from slow and depressed to rolling and shouting energetically. Grand finale. Transitions into amorphous instrumentals for last 3 min.