Listen to the debut album from The Goudies and it’s no wonder they are in demand. Supporting the likes of Tenille Townes and Amy Wadge, they are the perfect accompaniment to those most exquisite of storytellers. ‘Hold on Honey’ is dripping with wisdom. Ten songs that may be simple in their musical rendering but invite deep reflection lyrically. It is almost too sweet a record to consume in one sitting.
The first line of the opening track is enough to catch one’s attention. “Hurt people hurt people” is not only aurally interesting but neatly sums up the song’s subject matter. Through the lightest of acoustic touches, Sam and Beth explore a response to pain that is both honest and countercultural. The call to a transcendental love as that which breaks the chain both surprising and challenging. It certainly gives pause for thought. The first of many moments where a line or idea is sung and then sits in the mind.
The title track is another such instance. In which traffic lights act as a metaphor for life’s opportunities and circumstances. They say “there’s something good in taking it slow” and one knows that they are speaking from experience. The electro-percussive charge that accompanies the lyrics injecting a positivity that points to the value of waiting. In an age of consumption, immediacy and hype, this feels like an important insight.
‘Where We Belong’ is another that echoes with lessons from their past. Now based in Wales, the couple have previously lived in America and spent time roaming in a camper. And while, like ‘Kilimanjaro’, it references a sense of place, in context, it contrasts the notion of belonging with presence. In other words, it is not the where but the who (“with you”) that is key. Similarly, ‘Maggie’s Prayers’, on which Sam makes a rare lead vocal appearance, signals the importance of relationship. It is a beautiful ode, suitably upbeat, with plenty of heart and soul.
It’s hard not to get lost in their sound as the album progresses. ‘Make It with You’, for example, is entrancing in its lo-fi Americana. Think Motel Sundown mixed with Edie Bens and therein lies an ambling, refracted rhythm. ‘When This is Over’ is spine-tingling while ‘The Good Ones’ has the perambulating arrangement of an Andrew Combs or Martyn Joseph track. The effect is like sitting watching the sunset in a library, the books oozing their knowledge into the atmosphere. It is calming, soothing and thought-provoking.
‘Hold on Honey’ encapsulates what The Goudies do best. With the help of fans, they have been able to bring their vision to fruition, pouring emotion and deftness into a project that warrants their rising reputation. It is an album to savour. Rich in its flavour.
You can listen to the album on your chosen streaming platform, or purchase a copy from their online store here.
Featured Image (C) The Goudies
