Eagle & the Worm - Good Times

Good Times is the appropriately named debut album from Melbourne eight piece Eagle and the Worm, quite possibly the country's best party band, who could not have named their album more appropriately. The eight piece collective centre around charismatic front man Jarrad Brown, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has brought together a phenomenal line up of local musicians for what comes across as a classic debut album. The band consists of Jarrad Brown- Vox, Richard Bradbeer- Bass, Michael Hubbard- Guitar, Ben Morrison- Synth, Joe Cope- Hammond, Jim Lawrie- Drums, Emily Mould- Trombone, Liam McGorry- Trumpet and Ross Beaton- Bari Sax. Good Times started happening in the Australian summer of 2009-10. The album began as many do - on hard drives, 4 track machines, with the help of a really great piano that only stayed in tune in the middle 2 octaves, acoustic guitars, and drum machines. The album was cut across four days with Steven Schram (Little Red, Cat Empire, Little Birdy) at the helm of the mixing desk and lead singer Jarrad working as the creative director. "We didn't rehearse at all," Jarrad explains. "I have so many friends who are such great players, I didn't want to water down anyone's personality and chemistry on the recording. I wanted to hear the players, experimenting, finding the songs, working hard! I missed hearing that chemistry on records made today. I wanted these great players to sound like great players. " Sonically Good Times moves without hindrance between different concepts and sounds, as expected with most bedroom records. The obvious influence of 60s and 70s pop music stands tall - echoes of Bowie, E Street band and Beach Boys, gracefully done in a contemporary light - the production steers well clear of any retro tags. Jarrad's ability to draw together so many iconic sounds into songs that work as contemporary pop music stands out as one of the most impressive aspects of this glorious, unpretentious album of songs and sounds. "Futureman" and "All I Know" were the first taste of Eagle Beat in 2010, and the rightful tag of "Party Band" ensued. Like "Futureman" and "All I Know", new single "Too Young" has the 60s and 70s influences that EATW love written all over it. An exotic journey- Too Young shares the lyrical palate and arrangement motifs of the great Brian Wilson:- an ode to pop music of the 60's. Easy listening, easy drifting. Like all good records, GoodTimes is about the songs, and about the start-to-finish listening journey. GoodTimes aims to please, with the quality of true songwriting, party times, and pretty amazing production (nice one Steve Schram). This is a record captured in a moment, driven by inspiration & the need to bring back the Good Times Home!