I've spent the last week trying to figure out the music of The Goomies.
It's acoustic; then it's electric.
It's slow and mellow; then it comes chugging at you like a freight train of kick ass.
There are whispered rhymes and possible bits of conversations seem to come together to create bittersweet compositions like "Land Sea Sky Time". Tracks like "Long Division" seem to be disaffected jab at the jarring repetition of the workplace. The music starts slow then crawls forward propelled by the floor tom and snare, as the twisting turning guitar line snakes through your head taking you right along with them through the grind.
The sweet sentimental lyrics and vocals of "Won't Wake Up For Anything", coupled with the beautiful music, create a track you will find yourself listening to over and over again.
Other songs like "Bumble Bee On A String" almost invoke the psychedelic innocence of "Bike" or "The Gnome" from Pink Floyd's Piper at the Gates of Dawn. The Goomies perform live like a tight unit. The Chris and Mark (bass and drums) work like clockwork playing off of each other to create a solid sonic foundation while Corey's guitar shimmers, jangles, screams or crunches along. Corey's vocals and Chris's back up vocals bring the songs to life with ease when they aren't being zapped by the microphones. When The Goomies are playing you can't help but tap your feet and nod your head and sing along. A up and coming band to look out for for sure.
I still can't pinpoint exactly, the music of The Goomies, but I'm having a great time trying to figure it out. In the song "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)" Bootsy Collins of Parliament said: "So kick back, dig, while we do it to you in your eardrums." I can only say the same about this trio of musicians.
Make an appointment to sit back, dig, and let The Goomies do it to you in your earhole.
- B. Keen
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REVIEW #1
(this review was the first to be written up about The Goomies, by the bassist for a local band called "Your Favorite Band" after a show they played with The Goomies. The bassist, known as The Steve!, also has an online website that reviews music, movies, art, etc. called Everythingisgenius.com. This is the review from that article)
On Friday, March 28th my band returned to Soul Jam, a San Diego music venue for a show with up and coming San Diego band, The Goomies. The last time we played at Soul Jam was a couple years ago with Birds of Yore and When Hope is All That's Lost so I knew what sort of atmosphere to expect, but I had only listened to The Goomies on their myspace so I really didn't know much about the band or what to expect for the music that evening.
As I watched them load in I couldn't help but let my snobby elitist side kick in. Part of me expects to see certain things when I go to a show. It's not that these things are necessary or even good, just stereotypical. As a guitarist, bassist and concert-goer I've definitely developed some personal gear biases over the years. I've seen plenty of bands starting out with small or low budget amps for their first few shows and watched those bands continually set the bar of expectation low. Their tones were weak and small and as such I began to associate these types of bands with the equipment they used. This was not the case with the Goomies. The equipment they brought it fit the vibe of their music and the ambiance of the room perfectly.
During their set I couldn't help bobbing my head and toe-tapping along. The songs they're written so far are very well put together nods to their heroes without being carbon copies. The influence of bands like Modest Mouse and Built to Spill is evident, but the Goomies give their own unique take in their songwriting. I really enjoyed the vocal performances of their lead singer, Corey, and their overall stage presence was strong without being over the top. The only criticism, if you'd even call it that, I had after their performance is that their songs stay in the same tempo range most of the time. I would've liked to hear something uptempo to contrast with the rest of their songs, but even without the contrast, their songs remained catchy and memorable.
For the last week I've been wondering, what the heck is a goomie anyway? According to the band a goomie is, "a special little thing such as an hors d'œuvre before a fancy meal, or a gift you'd give to someone for no apparent reason than to be nice. its just the special little things." While I couldn't seem to verify this in any online dictionary, after watching this trio live, I have to agree that they deliver exactly what they say their name means. Their next show is April 11th, 2008 at the Epicentre with A Shattered Hope, The Subtle Way, Heaven is for Sinners and The Veltexans so if you're looking for something to do and are a fan of early Modest Mouse or Built to Spill (or mid/late 90s indie rock in general) definitely check the Goomies out at a show near you or at their myspace, http://www.myspace.com/goomiemusic
-The Steve (review from Everything Is Genius)