At first, I was hesitant to review this band because of their name. Goodland kind of sounds like a country band, no? (Sorry to say, that’s not my thing.) And you know what? That was a terrible way to approach this EP, as I was pleasantly surprised by this emo-punk band that instantly reminded me of Two Tongues – and is perfect for fans of Say Anything and Saves The Day. With vocals that sound so much like Chris Conley and emo lyrics about relationships, these are four songs that fill a gap in the current emo-punk styled released and are much needed.
The three-piece band from Wisconsin definitely has passion behind everything they do, though they are at their best when the music is faster and fuller, as on “Same Time, Same Place” versus the opening track, “Where You’ve Been.” The almost jangly emo-pop song has a super-catchy chorus and guitar hook that makes it the stand-out track on the EP.
The dual vocals work well, as do the lyrics, which clearly come from the heart. Goodland is a band with a future ahead of them and I am looking forward to hearing more from them, such as, perhaps, a full-length album.
You can listen to the name your price EP below.
4/5 stars