The Go! Team – Thunder, Lightning, Strike
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I feel like I have done enough recent album picks for a while. So, let’s go back into my wheelhouse of listening to things that came out at least two decades ago.
Thunder, Lightning, Strike by the Go! Team was first released back in 2004. It still sounds like an anachronism: it could have been released by an indie band yesterday, or the back in the 1960s or 1970s. It doesn’t fit to a specific period or era, so it is always fresh and ready to be discovered.
The Go! Team is an odd project started by one guy – Ian Parton – creating the recordings and adding samples from different songs and live sources as well, compiling what would eventually become this album. The live band was actually recruited and put together after Thunder, Lightning, Strike was released.
So, what does this sound like? Imagine the Jackson 5 and the Ramones got together and made the soundtrack for a bunch of Peanuts cartoons from the 1960s. That should give you some idea of the crazy energy and genuine warmth this album exudes.
“Good grief!” you might say in your best Charlie Brown voice, but stay with me here. This album is full of unabashed giddiness, with absolutely no pretension or ego to be found. The combination of crashing percussion and rapid keyboards and exuberant horns and strings sounds spontaneous and authentic. It is like Charlie Brown managing to actually kick the football instead of Lucy constantly pulling it away at the last second.
What I love about this music is how unambiguously happy it all sounds. There is a gritty, garage band feel to the noise, but it all feels genuine and full of joy. It is the audio version of watching a toddler delight at taking those ambitious, stumbling first steps, or watching a puppy tumble about as it attempts to jump up onto a sofa.
Cheers,
Evan
Bonus Video:The Go! Team – Panther Dash – Irving Plaza, New York – 1st November 2024