CD Review: Goodwin’s 2

by Brenna Rushing

Goodwin’s 2 could be interpreted as second place. The ten-track album keeps the tone up, but the lyrics can’t seem to hold their own.

Goodwin is made up of four guys who appear to be in their 30s, and who have the rocker look down. They either have shaggy or long hair, with the jeans and t-shirts to match. In 2004, they released their first, self-titled album, through Sweet Tea Records. They received some radio time from the album and built a stable fan base.

The first thing of note is the unimpressive album art. The only good thing that could come of the lackluster cover is the curiosity to hear what they sound like.

The band lists the Foo Fighters as one of many influences, which comes through on the album. In "Two Again", the lead singers' deep voice and range mirrors that of Dave Grohl, but he's lacking the attitude that Dave is known for in his sound.

The lyrics don’t delve very deep, another aspect that sets them apart from the Foo Fighters, who consistently have strong lyrics. Some tracks, such as “Progress is Lonely” and “Revelation of Revolution”, have very repetitive choruses. Repetitive lyrics don't have to be a negative, if the melody is strong enough to pick up the slack. But that isn't the case for this group. Neither are robust enough to keep the audience attentive.

On a good note the entire album is upbeat. The vocals, in spite of the lyrics, are dominant. Both vocalists, Tony and Daniel, have strong voices that help create the bands’ signature sound.

An impressive feature that sets them apart from other small bands is that you can buy their albums on MySpace, either digitally or a hard copy. Most bands don’t go that extra step in promoting, so it shows how dedicated they are.

Altogether, Goodwin seems to know what they’re doing. They have their certain sound down, they just need to improve the quality of their lyrics. Then maybe we could talk.