The Yacht Club started out life as the solo project of Marcus Gooda, although it really all came together when Alexander Esp, Tom Joy and Henry Fears joined the line-up. Their first full-band effort resulted in ‘The Greatest Misadventure’, which introduced their dynamic and guitar-led math-rock style to listeners. In recognition of where it all began, the London-based outfit have re-recorded this single to reflect their collective evolution and to signal their forthcoming album.
From the off, The Yacht Club‘s authentic math-rock guitar work grabs our attention. There’s no hesitation here as the track immediately launches into finger-tapped strings, an anchoring drum beat and Gooda‘s confessional lyrics. You can’t help but bopping your head along to this rhythmic affair, which is the perfect vector for some emotional catharsis. As we’re led through this labyrinthine arrangement of hammer-ons, pinch harmonics and rhythmic pivots, we feel those layers of self-guarding armour drop away. With the addition of fluid guitar lines from producer and longtime collaborator Tom Hill, this re-recording has officially entered a new phase that connects the band’s past, present and future.
Reminiscent of the earnest connection, unfiltered thoughts and youthful energy of ’00s bands like Foals, Maps & Atlases and This Town Needs Guns, there’s something undeniably nostalgic sounding about ‘The Greatest Misadventure’. It’s potentially an antidote for the rising tide of apathy in today’s society; it’s a reminder that we don’t need to hide our true feelings beneath a veneer of indifference. Throughout the track, Gooda yearns over that joy, optimism and laughter that once was so easily found, and now, like many of us, it’s the weight of the world that’s taken over.
As we often say, music is one way to alleviate those heavy feelings, even if it’s just for a short while. With more new music from The Yacht Club on the horizon in the form of an album, there’s sure to be more opportunities to lift your spirits, ease your anxieties and enjoy the moment.
You can also listen to the special edition of ‘The Greatest Misadventure’ in our Indie Rockers playlist.
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