Review: The Feel Goods – Ostentatious Things In Places

The Feel Goods – Ostentatious Things In Places (Independent)

Melbourne blues-rockers The Feel Goods started life as a duo with Evan Grant on vocals and guitars and Stevie Williams on drums and vocals. Jordan Van Keulen has recently joined them on bass, but not before they recorded their second EP “Ostentatious Things In Places”.

A quick peek at their Facebook page reveals a list of influences that includes Led Zeppelin, White Denim, Queens Of The Stone Age and Jimi Hendrix; all pointers to a sound and style that rocks hard. I guess, as a two-man blues-rock band, they’ve probably had more that their fair share of comparisons to The White Stripes and The Black Keys, but here they’re altogether gnarlier, and less inclined to pander to a crossover audience. Though they take a little while to warm up.

Opening track “Cocaine Cowboys” sets the scene, but it’s the full-on blues-grunge of “White Flag” where things start to get really interesting. I’m reminded of Five Horse Johnson and the upbeat end of the Small Stone roster, and that’s confirmed on “Recurring Dream”, a sticky, percussion heavy slab of ‘60s inspired neo-psychedelic rock. As good as the loud stuff is, marginally lighter tracks like “Slide” and “Honey, Let Your Hair Down” are just as much fun, and inhabit a space between Red Hot Chile Peppers and Black Crowes.

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www.triplejunearthed.com/TheFeelGoods

Phil S.