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One of the standouts from GoodBooks' classy debut album, Passchendaele represents all that is worth championing about the Kent four piece. Bittersweet, smart lyrics describe a young husband’s death on a First World War battlefield over the usual sharp, piercing post punk, angular back drop, all cutting riffs, chiming guitar, the odd dash of electronics and a soaring wave of a chorus. The track also serves to highlight the strengths of Max Cooke’s voice, which here possesses a lovely lilt to it, expressing the sombre mood of the song perfectly while never detracting from the melody. “He carried English bayonets, in an English way, he smoked German cigarettes, on Christmas Day” Cooke sings, while imbuing the track with a world weariness about warfare.
However, the serious subject matter doesn’t detract from the immense out and out danceabilty that ‘Passchendaele’ has, nor the irresistible tune that is present here. Far stronger than previous effort ‘The Illness’ this is also a slice of pristine power pop that proves the hype GoodBooks have generated has substance behind it.
Released 16/07/07 on Columbia Records
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