Rocky romance and The Good Life
Regardless of who you are, there are some things that bind us together as human beings. We bleed when cut, we all secretly love the “O.C.” and we have all dealt with failed relationships. You’re on your own when it comes to overcoming your “O.C.” obsession, but thankfully there are bands like The Good Life to help you through the relationship thing.
The poppy side project of Cursive lead Tim Kasher, The Good Life explores every relationship but the good one and manages to sing the whole affair with enough catchy melodies and clever arrangements to keep you coming back. The music is mostly the loose, acoustic stuff that makes indie kids in basement apartments swoon, and while the sound may not be breaking new ground, it is comfortable, fun and fitting. Light electric guitar leads shine over the subdued background swirl of accordions, guitars and light percussion. The light accompaniment is just as well, though. If the music were too busy, it would detract from Kasher’s storytelling.
“The first time that I met her I was throwing up in the ladies’ room stall,” he sings, “and that’s how it started, or so I’d like to believe.”
Therein lies the hazy, half-drunk lyrical foundation of The Good Life. Reading their liner notes is like reading a dissertation on the mythology of relationships. They explore the construction and collapse of human interaction by singing about the fact, fiction, and imagination of the failed couple. And while it’s often sung with biting honesty, it’s also done with more than a little wit.
Guesting on their latest release, entitled Album of the Year, former band member Jiha Lee sings, “You’re the wolf in second-hand clothing; I’m the sheep in a pleated skirt.” And so it is. A bunch of broken-hearted indie rockers have never sounded so good. So buy their albums, but don’t think about trying these kinds of relationships at home. This is the stuff of professionals.
Zach Pendleton is a music critic for the Utah Statesman. Comments can be sent to him at
zpendleton@cc.usu.edu