Oakland California’s The Goods have just announced the release of their debut self-titled EP on Dandy Boy Records with an accompanying video for the song “David Jones Is Dead.” The Goods combine big guitars, huge hooks, and sweet British Invasion-style harmonies into a distinctive power pop tapestry on their debut. Self-produced in the band’s own studio in Oakland, CA, The Goods’ debut EP draws on decades of hooky punk and power pop from the 1960s through the 1990s.
The three song 7" (with an exclusive fourth digital track) combines classic influences and timeless sounds with a fresh and playful energy. The lead single and video “David Jones Is Dead” calls to mind the band’s songwriting influences both new and old; Redd Kross, Young Guv, Tom Petty, Matthew Sweet, The Jam, Green Day and Cheap Trick. Reflecting on the process of writing “David Jones Is Dead” singer and guitarist Rob Good had to say, “I set out to write the shortest song I possibly could, all killer no filler, every bit of fat around the edges trimmed off. Lyrically, I was thinking about all these rock and roll icons that are now dying, and how their death brings up so many emotions - not only remorse for the loss of the person, but also nostalgia about the good times you had with their music and the friends you enjoyed it with. Ultimately it’s a celebration of that music and those good times.”
Avoiding retro-revivalism, The Goods' music is earnest and unironic, with just enough grit and muscle to balance its sugary sweetness. Dandy Boy label owner Bobby Martinez describes the connection between himself and singer/guitarist Rob Good, “I’m a big power pop fan and he was writing huge power pop songs. Not in a bleached hair/ leather jacket/ Buzzcocks way or a straight college radio/ 90’s alt way- but somewhere in between. There’s an element of Redd Kross camp over Cheap Trick timelessness that adds this level of fun and cheekiness. It never feels too serious or posturing yet avoids going full on cornball cartoon band. It’s completely self aware and doesn’t fall into some retro revival affectation. Rather than trying to duplicate classic power pop from the late 70’s or 90’s “left-of-the-dial” underground, they manage to sound organic. It’s power pop by guys who grew up learning their instruments by listening to Green Day and the Descendents and playing in punk bands. Guys who spent their formative years with Lemonheads and Jam CDs in their cars.”
Singer-songwriter Rob Good is a veteran of the Oakland underground, having played the sideman in stalwart Bay Area outfits such as Sob Stories, Cocktails, and Re-Volts. Good now steps center-stage to showcase a knack for clever songwriting and catchy melodies. He is joined by the propulsive rhythm section of drummer Paul Wiseman (also of the Southern California band Not) and seasoned session bassist Cherron Arens. Rob Good reflects on their conception, “The Goods started as a pandemic project after I reconnected with Paul. We’d been acquainted since we were kids growing up in the Bay Area suburbs, going to each others’ shows, playing in bands with a lot of the same people, but never actually playing together. After losing touch for a while, we randomly met at a Sob Stories show in Hollywood a year or two before the pandemic, and our friendship was rekindled.” Their debut EP was recorded by Rob Good at Sounds Good Studios in East Oakland, co-produced by Bobby Martinez, and mixed and mastered by Jack Shirley at The Atomic Garden in Oakland. Rob Good leaves us with this thought on what inspires his latest musical project: “Music is ultimately a labor of love, and if you love the music you’re making it shines through in the songs. We had a blast making this record and I think it shows.”
