GoodBooks - Live
[Manchester Academy 2]

The first striking chord about the fresh faced GoodBooks, is the way that the aching, folk flickering vocals of Max Cooke, seems naturally suited to a piano and slow acoustic build.

However, the high profile keyboard climb, rugged guitar licks and pulsing percussion provides a neat contrast to the vocal approach.

The creeping instrumental drag of ‘Alice’ builds into the soul/rock vocals of Cooke, to best draw out this point. Naturally, given the slow building and aching nature of the music, the response to this troupe is not as immediate as that Neil’s Children (read a review of their set) were greeted with.

Patient onlookers are rewarded by the colourful, soul searching previous single of Leni. This uses the keyboard touch to add atmosphere and open out the deep psyche of GoodBooks.

Hearty foraging of this ilk usually takes time to hit home, but then again, this sort of music is far more rewarding when effort and patience is required from the listener/viewer.