Do you ever make up silly songs as you are walking around the house?
I found myself singing a stupid song about my turtle as I was picking up things in the living room, just making it up as I went along.
I was singing about his tank. I was singing about his shell. I was signing about the fish he has decided not to eat. And it hit me, is the same process that Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes uses when he writes songs?
My song was dumb and silly. It was not catchy or memorable at all. My song was not good. Taylor’s songs can seem just as random as mine, but they are really really good.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the songwriting on this record is brilliant. I have a soft spot for story songs and this album is full of them. They are superbly intricate. They have fantastic little details.
I was working at the bait shack, supplying all the fishing tours
Pretty soon I was chartering a boat
My dad said I needed dumb luck and a secret stash of Coors
If I stood a chance at keeping things afloat
–St. Augustine At Night
The songs on Good Luck With Whatever will make you want to sing along, but you probably won’t get the lyrics right. And that’s ok.
The music on this record is hard to categorize. It is a difficult sound to pin down. And I love that. It is one of the reasons I really like this band.
Is it alternative rock? Sort of.
Is it folk-rock? A little.
Is it alt-country? Almost.
Is it good? Very.
In the world of radio programming, this sound fits on AAA radio stations. Adult Album Alternative. But, I don’t think that is relevant anymore.
My favorite track: Me Especially
