Good Old War-Only Way to Be Alone
Sargent House
November 4, 2008

Good Old War seemed to have come out of nowhere (at least to me), turning themselves quickly into quite the buzz band with their unique songs and bright melodies. The three members in the band each play multiple instruments, including vocals (with Keith Goodwin taking lead vocal duties), which makes for 1) a lot of layers of intricate music, and 2) a talented trio of musicians.

With country/folk being popular as of late, Good Old War take the style to a whole other level, or don't play it at all, depending on your opinion. To me, they sound like a mixture of The Beatles and The Shins if they decided to make an indie/country album that wouldn't depress the hell out of its listeners. This is a happy album, with Goodwin's voice sounding almost like a smile. There are some twangy parts to the music, which is where the country influence comes to mind.

I like how Good Old War took a sound and expanded on it, making it their own. This is a creative trio that have the chops and the know how to influence a lot of other bands down the line. This is something different.

Written by: RF
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