10PM / £5 / 18+
Signed to label: Columbia Records
GoodBooks formed out of the glowing embers of The Fingerprints in January 2005. The music is nimble and fresh, with influences ranging from Kraftwerk to Pulp to Hot Chip. The strong vocal harmonies and quirky synth lines polish up a sound that the band call quite simply “us” - The Times helpfully called it “literate, avowedly untutored clatter”.
Not to be confused with the similarly named Good Shoes, GoodBooks, Sevenoak's finest, finally get round to releasing their debut album after a whole host of singles. Named by Holly Willoughby, the gorgeous TV presenter, they come on like Bloc Party after they've discovered their sister's pop music. The opener 'Beautiful To Watch' sets the album off perfectly, all driving guitars and a catchy as chlamydia chorus. It doesn't fail to get you singing along as frontman Max Cooke croons out "killed it cos it's beautiful to watch." Last single 'The Illness' quickly follows, guitars firing away in the background as synths rattle away, creating a beautifully complex song.
Whilst they plug away at the 80s post punk sound that's been filling the indie world for a year or two now GoodBooks have the talent to make it interesting. Every song has lovely little guitar riffs and contagious melodies. 'The Curse Of Saul' sounds like a classic 90's pop tune, full of old school keyboard sounds and (whisper it) hints of a funky beat. Not that that's a bad thing. No traces of Jamiroquai to be found in here.
'Alice' continues the dancing vibes, with machine backbeats and razor cut riffs. 'Violent Man Lovesong' contains the terribly romantic "I could hold back your hair, while you were sick on my new sweatshirt." It's the snail paced low point of an album that is mainly a cohesive and joyful bundle of fun. There's no tailing off at the end either, as previous singles 'Leni' and 'Turn It Back' give the finale a boost, filling it with indie disco flourishes.
The album has a great flow between the slower and faster paced songs, with the singles spread throughout, handily disguising any filler. Not that 'Control' has much anyway. It's a triumphant debut from start to finish, showcasing a host of ideas that should see GoodBooks rise to the top of the indie hounds. No longer any confusion, GoodBooks have made the album that should see the end of all the mix ups, one that sets them apart from all the try-hards.
£5.00 OTD
www.myspace.com/empiresmusicbox 
GOODBOOKS // Thurs 4th Oct // Middlesbrough Empire 
