Good Problems is honestly one of the most interesting records we’ve heard in our time reviewing albums.
Now, as readers of Reviewsic know full well, it’s not often that we skip the basic formula of introduction and flowery adjectives to describe a band in favor of simply cutting to the chase, but New York state residents Summer People have made us do just that. This six piece group has put together a 13 track full length that somehow manages to touch base with every genre from folk country to 70’s rock, jazzy acoustic to experimental- all without sounding like a jumbled mess.
Good Problems starts out with a rough recording akin to the vibes you’d hear around midnight at a country western karaoke bar, full of whistling, group vocals, hoots and hollers. Then, “Two Hearted River” ends and “Shallow Water People” kicks in, delivering a sound traveling the same path as Thursday or Finch, with pop punk inspired vocals and driving guitars. In track three, “Broken Bones”, yet another genre change occurs- suddenly it’s 1976 and you’re listening to a bar band down south that has all the rollicking bass and grittiness of 70’s rock, but is fronted by a man who’s seen the future and knows that 90’s emo and grunge is coming.
Needless to say, one listen to Good Problems will throw you for a loop, making its listener wonder, “Is this a full length or a compilation CD?” While some might insist that this incongruity is sloppy, it’s anything but. Without a doubt, Good Problems has awide range of styles within it, but it also has cohesiveness amid its musical chairs-like track listing. Songs like “For Giving In” and “See Ya Later, Wouldn’t Wanna Be Ya” feature the same barely audible vocals hidden beneath a spacey, instrumental focus, while others, such as the title track “Good Problems” explore that experimental side through the use of fusing styles, like this songs big band era percussion and near spoken word vocals.
There’s also a subtle bongo like drumming slipped underneath the rest of their instrumentals in a few tracks, creating a distinct off-tempo contrast between their rhythm sections that alludes to the bands experimental tastes. Traditional indie rock is apparent in Good Problems as well, from the female assisted vocals in “Curtained Rain” to the Death Cab for Cutie-esque “Glossy-Eyed”.
One of our personal favorites from this album is “Great Northern Driver” which manages to take the unique elements found among these tracks, such as the spacey echo of their guitars and slight alt country vibe, and pair them with a great chorus and infectious variety of percussion.
As a whole, Good Problems is an album we’re sad to say will probably slip under the radar of most listeners, but now feel is our personal duty to praise and share. If you’re a fan of variety and intricacy then we urge you to check out this laudable release from Summer People.
