lambchops's Full Review: The Good Will Out by Embrace (England)
The world of British pop tilted a specific direction in the mid-1990’s following the worldwide success of bands like Oasis, Blur, Pulp, and Suede to name a few. There were plenty of new acts that followed in their footsteps. Some were talented (Radiohead, Coldplay, The Verve), some were painfully mediocre (Stereophonics, Catatonia), and others never got the shot they really deserved (Space, Supergrass). There are literally dozens of British pop (Britpop for short) bands so deciding which to investigate next is quite a daunting challenge.
Embrace wouldn’t have ever happened in my collection had it not been for my dear sister who is always willing to tell me about a band I may not have heard of. Come to find out, Embrace has had a pretty decent career in the UK. Songs All You Good Good People, Fireworks, One Big Family, and Come Back to What You Know were all hits on their native isle yet none of them made an impact stateside. I’ve never identified the factor that makes some bands break in the US while leaving others to languish. It is not good looks, good music, good production, or even good marketing. Whatever that factor is, it is arbitrary and Embrace clearly fell through the industry crack.
Formed in the mid-1990’s by brothers Danny McNamara (vocals, guitar) and Richard McNamara (guitar), Embrace found support in the typical British way. They released an indie single followed by major label singles all before an actual album. With the media hype machine in place and having earned mostly positive reviews, they then dropped the full-length debut. The McNamara brothers in addition to bassist Steven Firth and drummer Mike Heaton found themselves immediately atop the best sellers. Still, somehow, I never crossed paths with Embrace.
The Good Will Out (1998) was as good as or better than most debuts. Embrace was clearly influenced by their peers Oasis and The Verve but on this album I’m still impressed by the songs, performances, and overall quality of the package. I’m not willing to call the album genius, but I must admit to being roundly entertained not to mention ashamed at my apparent musical ignorance. The Good Will Out combines the detached, confident style of Oasis with the orchestral, evocative richness of The Verve. Despite obviously not being totally original, Embrace still holds my attention.
After briefly warming up, the band takes center stage with All You Good Good People. The first thing that struck me was how free and easy the song feels. The combination of a lightly plucked guitar and Danny McNamara’s voice is exquisite. His voice reminds me mostly of Richard Ashcroft (The Verve) but occasionally strikes me as similar to Robbie Williams. It’s a lovely track especially when you add in the keyboard and violin flourishes. Retread continues in the same vein, but because the guitars and percussion are so similar to Oasis I’m not nearly as impressed. I want to love it, but it’s the kind of song that could possibly have been sung by any of a handful of artists (safe for the sparkly acoustic sound).
Fortunately, Embrace doesn’t ever really offend. They occasionally teeter on the edge of copying rather than being influenced by bands, but the foursome never topples over the precipice. One Big Family is immediately striking. Heavy hitting guitars, a fast pace, and a refreshing choir of voices populate the richly textured pop track. Embrace makes music that is sometimes languid and tender but at other times hip and energetic. I love the fact that they expand upon the boundaries of what is usually expected out of pop music. Come to think of it, this is what I really enjoy in general about Britpop—Embrace is another example of worthy music from the genre.
Come Back to What You Know features a slow, sparkly, catchy melody that certainly ranks among my favorite offerings of this album. Come to think of it, this is my favorite song. Embrace takes away most of the orchestral elements in favor of a simple and acoustic arrangement. The words and vocals are allowed a moment in the spotlight. The lyrics aren’t profound, but they are thoughtful and well written:
Come back to what you know,
Take everything, real slow,
I wanna lose you but I got,
Far too high To let go
Now the demon in me knows,
What I knew so long ago
Higher Saints and My Weakness is None of Your Business are also good slower songs, though it is the latter that is easily one of the best ballads of this album. It is in particular contrast to I Want the World which features uncharacteristically heavy guitars for Britpop. Embrace makes sure that we as listeners don’t become too comfortable in thinking they make one kind of music over another. I like the grittier, distorted version of the band nearly as much as I like the melodramatic, emotional one.
There is a lull in quality toward the middle of The Good Will Out. The beginning of the disc is strong, but in the middle we have Higher Saints and Blind which aren’t horrible songs but they also aren’t great. There’s nothing about either that is memorable. Fortunately Fireworks makes everything better. Embrace is adept at making heart-wrenching ballads. Three of the last four tracks (The Last Gas, That’s All Changed Forever, The Good Will Out) fail to do much for me. Now You’re Nobody on the other hand is still another tender, beautiful, pop track highlighted by a horns, keys, and a string quartet.
The Good Will Out is not the most dynamic album nor is it the most original, but in the end I can’t help but like what Embrace has done on their debut. There are some outstanding songs to contrast those which fail to make an impact. Even at its worst, The Good Will Out is well worth checking out especially for established fans of British pop music from the likes of Oasis, The Verve, Coldplay, and Travis. Since the release of their debut, Embrace has had three more albums—Drawn from Memory (2000), If You’ve Never Been (2001), and Out of Nothing (2004). However to date it is The Good Will Out that has been met with the most support and is most often recommended.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars (rounded up!)
Track Listing:
01. Intro
02. All You Good Good People
03. Retread
04. One Big Family
05. Come Back to What You Know
06. Higher Sights
07. My Weakness is None of Your Business
08. I Want the World
09. Blind
10. Fireworks
11. The Last Gas
12. That’s All Changed Forever
13. Now You’re Nobody
14. The Good Will Out
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