Good Luck is a three piece band from Bloomington, Indiana who plays an incredibly noodly brand of pop-punk. The band is somewhat of an indie supergroup as all three members have earned modest followings in acts such as Abe Froman, One Reason, and Bodyhammer, among others. This experience has given them songwriting and chops superior to many of their college band counterparts.
There is an immediate charm to the music, starting with the X-like mixture of male and female vocals. The nasally voice of singer/guitarist Matt Tobey and the more powerful voice of singer/bassist Ginger Alford split the vocal duties about evenly, both lead and back-up. The songs themselves are outstanding. They’re anthemic without being grandiose. They’re fast without being angry. They’re poppy without being weak. Many of them seem to have been written with a live performance in mind. The way the vocals and music hit together during the choruses of “How to Live Here” and “Hey Matt” is just begging for DIY kids to pump their fists with each beat. But you don’t have to see them live to believe Matt Tobey when he sings, “Oh the feeling/It’s burning up to the ceiling/When the band plays everyone’s favorite song.” Little of the energy is lost on these recordings.
The most prominent figure on this album is the guitar of Matt Tobey. It is the first and last sound you hear and it doesn’t let up anywhere in between. From the unique melodic tapping of “Man on Fire” to the noodly “West Side Ride” (yes it is necessary to use that word multiple times in describing this band) to the outro solo of “1001 Open Hands” the guitar is on the forefront of the instrumental side of the music. But that’s not to say the other members don’t contribute. Ginger Alford has a knack for knowing exactly when to shift her attention from rhythm to melody and drummer Mike Harpring’s jazzy style always matches the intensity of the music.
Into Lake Griffy is an accessible album that anybody who appreciates punk can enjoy on first listen, but the songs are just nuanced enough to stay fresh. I’ve been listening to this pretty solidly for almost a year straight and I’m not even close to being bored. Do yourself a favor and give Good Luck a listen.
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