The Good China - We Knew That We Had To Leave EP (02/12/2012)
After three years since the release of their debut record ‘Old Maps/New Roads’, Melbourne indie-pop eight-piece The Good China are back with a collection of songs that reflect maturity, relationships, tragedy and all things ‘growing up’.
We Knew That We Had To Leave holds on tight to their ‘bright and brash’ indie-pop sound while expressing those unspoken feelings of entering the world as an adult.
Title track We Knew That We Had To Leave explores the quick shifting scenes among society and culture these days. As young adults we’re constantly outgrowing our surroundings and moving on to the next scene as quick as the last one fades out. Brilliantly it takes the piss out of Melbourne’s hipster domination with lyrics like ‘I’m so fucking indie I don’t even listen to music’. What even is indie these days? Anyway. Nice, tight instrumentation and a catchy riff, this track is fresh, witty and a heap of fun.
You Looked Better A Brunette has a raw and distinct leading melody and a guitar riff giving hints of Vampire Weekend and Arcade Fire. With rather personal lyrics to accompany this head-bopper, The Good China have mastered yet another great energetic and super catchy track.
I love anything with firm, fast-paced drum beat, and I love it even more when there are handclaps to go with it. Again full of energy, No More Maps, No More Roads is a delightful mix of instruments over heartfelt lyrics about growing up and overcoming obstacles. This little number stands as a personal favourite from the EP.
The perks of having quite a few band members are evident on the final track of the EP. A brutal real-life experience about loss and trying to moving forward, you can hear the heart strings being tugged on this one. Led by a sweet ukulele and breathtaking strings, Marcio is a more emotional, delicate touch to what as so far been a lively collection of instruments throughout the record.
This record shows a great step of maturity taken by the band following their first EP. While expressing raw emotion, The Good China still manage to wonderfully maintain that familiar up-beat indie-pop goodness they are so well known for.
For not only writing, producing and engineering this masterpiece, but also providing lead vocals and guitar for the band, Nick McMillan; I applaud you.
Maddie Stephenson
We Knew That We Had To Leave holds on tight to their ‘bright and brash’ indie-pop sound while expressing those unspoken feelings of entering the world as an adult.
Title track We Knew That We Had To Leave explores the quick shifting scenes among society and culture these days. As young adults we’re constantly outgrowing our surroundings and moving on to the next scene as quick as the last one fades out. Brilliantly it takes the piss out of Melbourne’s hipster domination with lyrics like ‘I’m so fucking indie I don’t even listen to music’. What even is indie these days? Anyway. Nice, tight instrumentation and a catchy riff, this track is fresh, witty and a heap of fun.
You Looked Better A Brunette has a raw and distinct leading melody and a guitar riff giving hints of Vampire Weekend and Arcade Fire. With rather personal lyrics to accompany this head-bopper, The Good China have mastered yet another great energetic and super catchy track.
I love anything with firm, fast-paced drum beat, and I love it even more when there are handclaps to go with it. Again full of energy, No More Maps, No More Roads is a delightful mix of instruments over heartfelt lyrics about growing up and overcoming obstacles. This little number stands as a personal favourite from the EP.
The perks of having quite a few band members are evident on the final track of the EP. A brutal real-life experience about loss and trying to moving forward, you can hear the heart strings being tugged on this one. Led by a sweet ukulele and breathtaking strings, Marcio is a more emotional, delicate touch to what as so far been a lively collection of instruments throughout the record.
This record shows a great step of maturity taken by the band following their first EP. While expressing raw emotion, The Good China still manage to wonderfully maintain that familiar up-beat indie-pop goodness they are so well known for.
For not only writing, producing and engineering this masterpiece, but also providing lead vocals and guitar for the band, Nick McMillan; I applaud you.
Maddie Stephenson