GOOD SAD HAPPY BAD - All Kinds of Days
With their sophomore album All Kinds of Days (debut Shades 2020 Textile Records) Good Sad Happy Bad further develop their collective approach to songwriting and composition. Taking improvised instrumental sessions and carving into them with solo vocals from each of the four members appearing at some point across the record as well as the band frequently coming together in supporting chorus.
The album navigates themes of loss, grief, recovery, healing, home building and parenthood with an unsettling sonic palette of spidery guitar riffs, haunted woodwind and hoarse electronics in disguise as pop songs and held together by a core of driving drums and deceptively complex melody.
The album opens with the contemplative ‘After.Spirit’ defined by Raisa Khan’s crisp vocal texture and honest songwriting supported by Mica Levi’s meandering guitar and CJ Calderwood’s electronic/woodwind textures.
‘Shaded Tree’ is lead single, with driving drums from Suitman Jungle while CJ Calderwood opens up the space with wails on the alto saxophone. Staccato melodies plucked from Raisa’s keyboards and a scratched riff from Levi.
‘Turbine’ introduces bass guitar to hold a pop sensibility while Calderwood’s seasick saxophone washes over stereo. Drummer Suitman Jungle takes forefront vocal with a spoken word about a wind turbine in Newham. This turbine serves as a constant reminder of change - it’s an emblem of what has changed in Suitman Jungle’s life since the last time observed.
‘Guiding Light’ warm distorted guitar and resampled wind instruments form a backdrop for this tender vocal moment.
‘Twist the Handle’ is led by Raisa’s resampled percussion. It creeps in with Levi’s rasping guitar and Calderwood’s vocal loops establishing a wonky textural scaffold to hold another of Suitman Jungle’s spoken performances. A simple list, which has long been Suitman Jungle’s stylistic preference in songwriting, goes forward then reverses, his tone switching from nonchalant observation to demanding instructions when the chord changes.
Lonely Well’ One of the heavier guitar & drum sections on the record this track powers through with abstracted vocal loops from CJ Calderwood.
‘Frontline’ With Raisa Khan back on vocals this song masquerades as simple whilst being subverted by churning raspy soundscapes complimenting an equally unsettlingly clean guitar tone.
‘Irresistible’ Levi’s lyrics come to the front here amongst a dreamy vocal chorus.
‘DIY’ is the second single from All Kinds of Days. An infectious tempo and trademark plonking keyboard melody from Raisa. Suitman Jungle once again takes vocal duties with a poem about keeping a house together, though really too much time was spent writing the song rather than actually fixing the problems described. Try. Do. Good. Skewed by Calderwood’s floods of no wave saxophone.
‘Mirror Mirror’ reveals the bands sense of humour with Raisa Khan’s lyrical musings on motherhood over what has by now become a well established instrumental tone of the record. Chaotic textures scramble together in curious interplay while weaving in and out of core keystone components such as locked in drums and guitar. Just as you feel like a track is about to capsize a riff storms in and straightens the course.
‘Find my Way’ acts as a secret track on the end of the album. This loose soundscape is underpinned by tape directions from a family member describing a journey down the A21 in Kent, this being made long before smartphones or GPS. It works as a short-cut to having to stop and look at a paper map. This recording is gently framed by Suitman’s drum musings. An unexpected organic track grows out of this wandering explorative space, as Raisa Khan sobers us, helping us maintain focus as the album nears its end.
