CD Review: Good God! - Self Titled

Published December 26, 2009
CD Review by Adam Wujtewicz

Good God! recently released a self titled CD and with only one show left before guitarist Tim Grimes goes to live on the left coast …you’re not going to have too many opportunities left to get it. So make sure to get to the show Monday and get a copy. (Details on the show are at the bottom of this page....)
This recording is super crisp, clear and polished, which is a compliment for a band like this.  There are 4 instruments doing different things so it’s imperative that you hear all 4 clearly.  The guitar tones are all pretty sharp and slashing but there are a lot of intricacies in what they’re doing so the thinner and more attack oriented sound is advantageous. They sound great, very natural, very well panned,  (if you’re listening in headphones this makes a big difference), and prominent but not over powering in the mix.  Mike Winslow’s drum playing is very energetic and interesting throughout the entire record.  He is able to push the songs along and create flawless transitions between parts of the songs.

When most people think of primarily instrumental bands I would bet the first two that come to mind are Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky.  Well I’ll tell you right now there are very little of those bands coming through in this music.  The songs structures on this record are much more traditional and have a much smaller and more intimate sort of feel.  Think more of a mellow Don Caballero or Ghosts & Vodka.  The interweaving of guitar and bass and the solo’s are more of a factor than the giant buildups and huge atmospheric soundscapes. The track “Books on Etiquette” for example has super lyrical guitar playing which completely takes the place of the vocals which a song with an arrangement like this could have had. 

The tracks  “Michael’s Afternoon Swim”, “Misdirected Love” and “Awake at Night / Tom Cruise was a Lousy Lover” all actually have vocals in them.  They are very reminiscent of the band Hum.  They are almost talked and at points bordering on monotone.  It’s an interesting thing to mix in but these songs become very standard rock songs on an album that was surviving on great musicianship.  I will admit that the opening lick and the noise ending on “Michaels Afternoon Swim” are 2 of my favorite individual parts of the record.

Good God!’s self titled offering does not have much in the way of surprises or studio trickery but what it is, is an honest and clear representation of what these four individuals were able to accomplish as a band in their few short months together.

LOVE & PRESS

"I just wanted to thank you for all you do for the local music community. I have tonight off so I went to the wailing city site to see who was playing. It’s amazing all the work you put in for all the local musicians and venues and I just wanted to thank you."
- Phil Smith (musician)

"...my new best friend Meghan Killimade, who's site Wailing City, lets me find all the latest local bands -- where they are playing and the times -- has suddenly been a big help in letting me find some events outside of my usual box!"
- Stephanie Shawn "Bar Fly Journals"
(Sound Waves Magazine)
Published December 2024

"Wailing City is this absolutely fantastic local music blog here in CT. They've been the place to go to find out what's happening, what's new and why you should care for well over a decade. Graciously, they interviewed us about the new album, the book, the film and all that. While touring throughout the years, we've sometimes felt like 'one foot in, one foot out' with the local scene, but they've always made us feel right at home. Thanks Wailing City."
- Pocket Vinyl (band)

"There are a staggering 64 documented live music performances in my home of New London county, CT today alone! The population of this county is only 268,805 and it is only 772 square miles. That is an incredible saturation of venues hosting live music and is a stark contrast to places I've lived in the past! You would be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the country that has so much live music. Amazing really! Thank you for the hard work documenting and promoting Wailing City!"
-Travis Hyll (musician)

"Wailing City appreciation post: true champions of the New London county music scene. Follow them!"
-Dirt Pile (band)

"We wanna take a minute to shout out our friends over at Wailing City for always helping to spread the word about our shows. They've been curating the most comprehensive live music calendar for SECT since 2006. If you don't already, give them a follow."
- 33 Golden Street (venue)

"Wailing City should be your first check in for all local music schedules. Thank you so much for all your efforts in promoting the scene!!
- David Schena (musician)

"Wailing City has been keeping the calendar up to date since I first started going to shows 20 years ago. We’re lucky to have Meghan volunteer her time to help keep the scene going!"
-James Burke (musician)

"With a little footwork and a short drive I managed to visit three live music shows on Bank Street last night... New London ROCKS...and all made possible searching out local music on Wailing City... thanks Meghan."
- Don Diederich (musician / local music fan)

"If you don't have ears, then it's possible you're not aware that southeastern Connecticut - specifically New London County - has an incredibly vibrant music scene. Over the years, it's gone from a hotbed of indie rock to an area of musicians, fans and venues that support a complex and varied number of artistic styles. The wailingcity.com web site - newly and lovingly redesigned - is a tremendous resource. A labor of affection and devotion conceptualized in 2006, wailingcity.com boasts artist bios, reviews and interviews, a club and band data base and calendars, videos, audio streaming, and cross-referenced links on all of the above - as well as lists of music services such as instrument instruction, record and retail stores, related media and periodicals, festival information, and so on. It's the brainchild of musician/artist Meghan Killimade, (and contributors), and they do a terrific job."
- RICK KOSTER (The Day) Published April 03. 2014

“Wailing City, is, as of now, probably the most successfully comprehensive listing on local and area shows in Southeastern Connecticut on the Internet; the folks at Wailing City are doing an excellent job of making sounds from the underground.”
-Ben Johnson (The Day) Published July 27, 2006