Biography
Goodnight Loving smooth the edges of wild basement punk into something more organic, twangy and irresistibly catchy - effortlessly weaving country, garage rock, folk and pop into a sound all their own. Hailing from rustic Northwoods Wisconsin hamlets, the converged on Milwaukee in the early 2000s and established themselves as one of a growing number of bands thriving in the basement scene. Their demo caught the ear of Greg Cartwright (Reigning Sound, Oblivians, Mary Weiss), leading him to produce their debut album "Cemetery Trails," a slick, stunning record showcasing their knack for beautiful, ionate pop perfection. Just weeks after "Cemetery Trails" was recorded, and months before its release, the band headed up north the record another set of songs in the more relaxed confines of a remote cabin. The resulting sessions produced their second full-length "Crooked Lake" - a twist to their sound, featuring a decidedly more lo-fi approach paired with a darker edge to their lyrics, rendering a fitting mood to the times with themes of paranoia, melancholy, and desperation. Despite gathering many prestigious accolades ("Cemetery Trails" was named album of the year by CMJ New Music Monthly's Editor-in-chief, while "Crooked Lake" drew even more recognition and acclaim), the band isn't content treading the same territory, opting instead to challenge both its listeners and themselves by continuing to grow in unpredictable ways. Goodnight Loving's self-titled third album adds 60's girl group vocal harmonies and British Invasion psychedelia, while also bridging the gap between the recording styles of the preceding LPs. The result is a band hitting its stride, maturing in their ability to manipulate the subtle nuances of their unique and timeless sound. Sharing the stage with like-minded musical visionaries (Black Lips, Reigning Sound, The Gris Gris, Thomas Function, Strange Boys), touring regularly, and making festival appearances (SXSW, CMJ Music Marathon, Gonerfest and The Horizontal Action Blackout) has earned them a rabid following that continues to grow. Mixing small town sincerity with big city sophistication is no easy feat, yet Milwaukee's Goodnight Loving pulls it off with humble confidence. It's the earnestness, craft and originality of this group that gives them their ability to never disappoint or even 'just' meet expectations. And with all contributing songs to their already impressive canon, they show no signs of slowing down anytime soon. -Dusty Medical
