Album title:
Help Wanted Nights
Artist:
The Good Life
Label:
Saddle Creek
The Good Life have become, quietly and without any provocation, one of the finest bands of their generation. Bold words, yes, yet their own lyrics are anything but. Their latest album, Help Wanted Nights, works like a Mondrian: hiding beauty in the details; turning simple observations to social and philosophical studies whilst giving up more and more on each sequential viewing. Their last, Album of the Year, still offers hidden brush strokes overlooked for the bigger picture. But while ...Year was narrative driven, Nights focuses more on fleeting moments and isolated emotions. Tonally the band works to emphasize each song's individuality, from Keely Amie's playful verse/chorus/chorus structure to the Cure influenced Heartbroke. This all makes an album superficially pleasing but, to truly appreciate it, Help Wanted Nights forces you to listen, work and really think, like all great art should. (Hamza K)