Gain, Distortion, Sustain is the enveloping debut album from Good Ships, a band based in Leeds, UK. Their inspirations ranging from ’60s pop to the scores of Ennio Morricone and ’80s rock, the act’s eclectic range results in a sound steeped in enjoyable mystique, while still emphasizing a sense of hooky immediacy in the satiating structural builds and dark/light contrasts, between murky guitars and twinkling amiability.
“Gotta keep on rolling,” the vocals exude a compelling perseverance on opening track “Dark Souvenir,” whose soaring chorus is enhanced by twinkling keys and a subtle string-laden shimmer; the band’s melodic, savvy production is evident from the get-go here, complemented by relatable themes concerning the human experience’s tendency toward loneliness — while also emphasizing “the constant drive for living things to grow and thrive.”
The album’s title track is another standout, and particularly exemplary of the group’s love for The Velvet Underground. Moody guitars build patiently into erupting distortion and vocal passion; the eclectic tonal range is consistently compelling. “Wild Things” is another riveting showcase of the band’s tendency for gripping structural swells. Calming guitars and organs cast a dreamy spell, cohesively arising into an impassioned classic-rock feeling at mid-point. Gain, Distortion, Sustain is an immersive success of a debut from Good Ships.
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“Please Don’t Go” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
