THE LOVELESS & THE GOODNIGHT TRAIL
The Loveless & The Goodnight Trail (Sonic Boom)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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Very noisy emo out of Seattle that sometimes can be very powerful and pleasing, sometimes quieter, delicate and pleasing, and sometimes just unfocused and frustrating. They've certainly got their playing chops down, and the sound - distorted but trebly and solid guitar, aerobic workout drumming with so much cymbal splash your ears ring for an hour afterward, alternately in tune and out of tune vocals, obviously changed intentionally to fit the style of the song, and bass that is steady and ready for whatever comes - is identifiable as their own after just a few listenings.

While I enjoyed several, only two songs really stuck with me after the CD was out of the player, but that beats most bands, who can't stick a single song in your head for more than five minutes. "Rand McNally" has a lonely, end-of-the-line feel and a simple but catchy chord structure that made me think of it often, finally compelling me to put it back in the player and crank it up. The rocker that follows that tune, "Sidewalk," stuck with me via its pure energy and beat. The more I went back to those songs, the more the other tunes sank in.

I don't know why unfocused noise from one artist works for me while another artist's unfocused noise is painful to my head, but that's how it is. That's my only complaint with The Loveless & The Goodnight Trail. It only happens a few times, but when it does it sounds like a garage band and I feel like sticking my head through the door and screaming "YOU BOYS TURN THAT DOWN!!!" The rest of the time, I think I might be listening to a real band reaching up to the next level. If they add a catchy riff to a song like "The State Riddle," they're gonna hit a home run.

© 2003 - DJ Johnson