Energetic enthusiam: it’s these words that attempt to define the sound of The Go! Team: a sound that words barely have a hope of describing.
“Thunder, Lightning, Strike” marks the debut of a group hailing from England but comprised of a very eclectic mix of people. Originally, the ideas sprang from the mind of Ian Parton, who began the project in his spare time with just an old eighties sampler and a four-track tape recorder.
After his EP caught the attention of United Kingdom label Memphis Industries, he spent the following year splitting his time between his job as a TV documentary maker and putting together the album, which was recorded in his basement.
While most of the album was recorded by Parton, he had to quickly assemble a team when the record label sprung a tour supporting Franz Ferdinand on him. Within three weeks, The Go! Team was complete. The six-person team consists of Parton, Sam, Jamie, Chi, Silke and Ninja, all of whom have a hand in the multiple instruments, including guitar, harmonica, drums, banjo, bass, recorder, melodica, keyboards and vocals, which The Go! Team creatively uses to bring forth its completely unique sound.
Ninja in particular has been receiving praise from quite a few critics. As the last member to join the team, she’s also the most unique. Originally a female rapper, she joined the team because like Parton, she too is into the idea of experimenting, and doesn’t feel pressure to sound like anyone else.
As the first track opens, your ears catch the sound of a bombshell falling; it explodes not in fire but with a wall of sound as drumsticks hit and multiple instruments propel you through sheer energy to a place you haven’t been before. A countdown of “1,2,3,4” is heard as a harmonica bounds along with guitar and drums. The second song, or should I say “piece,” since hardly any of the songs contain perceptible lyrics, continues in originality with a sort of Indian sitar sound, combined with quick jumps between a flowing French sound and a sort of American beat. Some faint strings and electric pops come in, ending with drums and what sounds like children shouting on a playground. These child-like vocals make their appearance throughout the album, while occasionally being exchanged for Ninja’s charged feel good messages like, “C’mon, everybody, let’s rock this place.”
While lacking for the most part in lyrics, the music itself creates the message the song means to convey. Songs like “Get it Together” and “We Just Won’t Be Defeated” sound like what the title suggests, but do so in a manner that maintains the funky spirit of the group.
The sound of The Go! Team is refreshingly original and also contains a sort of nostalgic sound harkening back to the days of childhood. Its sound is at once familiar, yet just out of reach, making its origins impossible to pinpoint. There is a sort of “Sesame Street” feel to it, mixed with classic soul. Lovers of crisp audio might not appreciate the warm haze that makes it sound like it wasn’t recorded on 21st century technology, but overall this adds to the uniqueness of The Go! Team’s Sound.
Overall, The Go! Team produces a sound that is catchy and original, if not necessarily memorable.
Chris Simpson is a first-year history major. He can be reached at [email protected].
