The Goon Sax – Up To Anything
The Goon Sax. Scouring the internet in the manner of the modern beat journalist, a few facts are made clear: this is a three piece band, they have advanced and great taste in music, they are impressively young, they contain one member each of three different families the Jones, the Forsters and the Harrisons. This last point is both splendidly important and crucial to ignore. It’s important because the middle of those names, Forster, is taken from Louis Forster’s father Robert Forster, who was one half of one of the most important guitar wielding bands Australia has ever produced- the criminally underrated, under heard and under appreciated band The Go Betweens (all kidding aside, if you aren’t intimate with them, please become so, starting with Spring Hill Fair). The thing is, it’s also NOT IMPORTANT because I know for a fact that Louis Forster is his own man, and so it doesn’t really matter who is dad is except that he probably has a really cool record collection, and has met more cool people than either you or I are ever likely too.
The Goon Sax have that lackadaisical charm that’s become a feature of early dolewave and its subsequent spin offs. The guitars wander around, melodies meander, they even have a track about the process of getting up in the morning and not doing much except being a clutz and pining after somebody (‘Anyone Else’). This is all well and and it is good, but it is not the Goon Sax at their strongest moments – these come with a little more focus. A track like Sometimes Accidentally, the first single off the record, is a good example of this. Self deprecating and approachable, there’s a delicacy that weaves it all together, the repetitive guitar riff, the moment of group vocal swell, this is a slight transcendence. It’s this peppering of little moments throughout the record that sets The Goon Sax apart, songwriting criss crossed with intelligence, and maybe something that will develop into real brilliance. They’re already one great record ahead than the most of their peers.
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