The Good Life

The Good Life: Lovers Need LawyersLovers Need Lawyers (2004)
Saddle Creek Records

Reviewer Rating: 4

User Rating:

Contributed by: maverickScott
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Published on July 6th 2004Tim Kasher's side project returns with six new songs that are a complete left-turn for The Good Life up to this point. These songs are more pop, more concise, and more catchy than most everything Kasher has thrown the band's way in the past two albums. Novena On A Nocturn was heavy on the melanc.

Tim Kasher's side project returns with six new songs that are a complete left-turn for The Good Life up to this point. These songs are more pop, more concise, and more catchy than most everything Kasher has thrown the band's way in the past two albums.

Novena On A Nocturn was heavy on the melancholy, which made it a fine listen, but when it came to pop songwriting, no way. Black Out was heavy on electronic experimentation, and as such, many of the songs suffered. But with Lovers Need Lawyers, the material has taken a dramatic shift towards the "toe-tapping" genre of indie-pop.

Many of the songs have instantly singalongable choruses, such as the title track with it's refrain of "Oooooh, lovers need lawyers." "Friction" is as punk rock as the band's ever been, with a neat samba-esque beat driving the verses before the song roars open in the chorus, with Kasher yelling "FRICTIOOOOON!" at the top of his lungs. It rocks.

The storytelling aspect that Kasher has developed since Cursive's rebirth in 2000 and the subsequent start of The Good Life continues in the same self-deprecating lyrical style. "Leaving Omaha" is about his life from high school graduation through divorce, leaving no stone unturned. "Entertainer" could have easily been a lyrical outtake from Cursive's The Ugly Organ, with lines like "I'm not an artist I'm an asshole" and the chorus of "Entertain us / entertain us / give the people what they want."

The record ties up with the Built To Spill-meets-early Wilco jamout of "For The Love Of The Song." It's 6 minutes show me that The Good Life has moved out of it's early growing stages into a full-fledged band. Only more good things will come from this outfit.

MP3s
Always A Bridesmaid
Leaving Omaha [clip]
For The Love Of The Song [clip]

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Anonymous (February 19, 2006)

shut the fuck up people that dont like good life, cursive or bright eyes, they all kick ass, and this EP rocks, so shut the fuck up

Anonymous (July 29, 2004)

i bought this and I love it... especially always a bridesmaid song

slippy (July 12, 2004)

"I am really getting sick and tired of all these so called "punk" rockers on this site thinking that they know everything and that just because someone is not NOFX they are cast aside as "emo" and therefore are gay well all I have to say these people is get over it or get a life"

I'm sick of people making comments like this on every review. Nothing is going to change because you made your statement.

Anonymous (July 11, 2004)

Although I'm unwilling to order this online, I suppose I would buy it if I found a copy at a music store. A shame Saddle Creek has such poor distro in Eastern Canada.

Anonymous (July 8, 2004)

people who don't like this band suck.

Anonymous (July 8, 2004)

I am really getting sick and tired of all these so called "punk" rockers on this site thinking that they know everything and that just because someone is not NOFX they are cast aside as "emo" and therefore are gay well all I have to say these people is get over it or get a life

Anonymous (July 8, 2004)

this is sooo gay!

Anonymous (July 8, 2004)

was he? cause it doesn't say that...but thanks for being his spokesperson

Anonymous (July 7, 2004)

i prefer cursive, but this is alright.

boldredletters (July 7, 2004)

hey anonymous,

wez was talking about people who hadn't listened to the band yet, and said they sucked.

REALPUNX4LIFE (July 7, 2004)

I checked these guys out since I thought Dave Dondero would be playing with them soon. Turns out Dondero is joining the tour later. Anyways, the songs I heard made me think I'll still go see them. They're pretty neat. My shirts fit quite comfortably, my glasses real and my shoes for running, thank you very much. (Oh, the shoes are New Balances, though. I guess that's second to emo pussy, right? Maybe I'll change my name to emopussyforever, all letters lower case of course.)

Anonymous (July 7, 2004)

and WEZ...what does being "educated" have to do with liking or disliking how a band sounds? You must be extremely educated to know how to like or dislike the sounds that your ears transmit to your brain and then form an opinion about it all!

Anonymous (July 7, 2004)

hey wez,

the thing is, this is music. you dont have to have another reason to think music sucks other than, you dont like the way the shit sounds. you dont need to provide a thesis everytime you dont like the music a band makes.

you can say, "i dont like the sound of this. it sucks" or simply, "this sucks" and it wont be unintelligent or ignorant. but requiring some in depth reason for why a person doesnt like the sound of something, now thats being a jackass.

GYBE (July 6, 2004)

Pretty good stuff.

They have a LP coming out fairly soon as well.

Anonymous (July 6, 2004)

I like how people say that a band sucks but provide no reason for why they suck. That's educated....

But then again, no one ever said you had to be educated to give you (misinformed) opinion..

WEZ

Anonymous (July 6, 2004)

Sounds like an episode of Law and Order SVU.

-BSD

Icapped2pac (July 6, 2004)

"Are the emotions I feel real yet? "

Maybe, but nowehere near how real the fear is every week when you hear your mom calling your name with the home-enema kit in hand.

This band sucks.

Anonymous (July 6, 2004)

Oh man I bought this, my fake glasses, a shirt two sizes too small for me, and some geeky loafers all in one day!

Are the emotions I feel real yet?

-BSD

Anonymous (July 6, 2004)

black out suffered because it was electronic?

what the fuck is wrong with you?

Anonymous (July 6, 2004)

"is this album supposed to be homosexual?"

the only way this album can be more gay is if that bright eyes kid was the singer

Anonymous (July 6, 2004)

is this album supposed to be homosexual?