Anyone who talks to me will find that I have a general dislike of the country music genre. To clarify, I do not mean downhome, bluegrass country; I mean the pseudo, pop country that has seemed to ravage the local airwaves, especially around DePauw’s campus.
Nonetheless, when I saw the album “Darlin” appear on my iTunes preview, my finger instinctively flexed back a bit, beginning to brace myself for another faux-country outfit.
Oh, how wrong I was.
The band Goodbye June reminds me that country—well, folk rock—still has its roots in all the right places. Made up of cousins Landon Milbourn, Brandon Qualkenbush and Tyler Baker, the trio formed after the passing of Baker’s brother. The event gave them their name, a focal point, and a visceral tragedy to build from.
“Darlin” is pure and raw; there are no sappy, cliché lyrics that plague the album. In my opinion, Goodbye June is a group that threatens the placid nature of a style that’s lost its way. Infused equally with riffs that remind me of Van Halen, Hendrix and Jimmy Page, Goodbye June takes me down a very different country road, and I am certainly thankful for it.
The EP opens with “Oh No,” a biting track that lends the best of folk, rock and country, all tied together beautifully with Milbourn’s gritty voice.
However, it was the song “Danger in the Morning” that really caught my ear. One would be remiss not to compare it to Led Zeppelin; the banjo in this track takes the song to the band’s midwestern and southern roots. It is a track that I would expect to hear in the TV show Sons of Anarchy, and it tells me that the EP is but a small taste of the bands full range and offering.
Goodbye June, to me, is a statement. It is so far removed from anything in the country scene currently. Their EP sits miles ahead of the competition; it is a unique sound that dares you to listen to more. It is honestly a challenge not to do so. I found myself replaying it over and over again. I generally say that bands are “worth a listen,” but truly, you’d be foolish not to do so here.
Watch the airwaves closely, folks. Goodbye June is coming, and they are going to hit hard--you heard it here first.