Best Behavior
Good Luck Bad Karma
Reviewed by: Fareeha Naim
This Brooklyn-based garage rock band is coming out strong with their debut LP. Drawing inspiration from the greats of the ‘60s and modern West Coast artists, Good Luck Bad Karma is not one to disappoint. Prepare for catchy melodies, addicting vocals, and having this album on repeat for a while. Written entirely by vocalist and guitarist Alex Gruenburg in less than a month (impressive? Hell yes!), this album combines the memorable rock beats and guitar tones of the classics while twisting them with modern punk energy.
Not going to lie—I thought I was listening to The Kinks or Jet when I first started playing this album. I was pleasantly surprised to see that no, in fact, this was Best Behavior, and it didn’t take long for me to get entirely sucked in. The familiar rhythms that bring you back to the time of the British invasion are spiked with a new, fresh energy, offering a more modern feel. Essentially, the whole listening experience is just fun. Carefree, toe-tapping, head-bopping fun. From the opening of the first track “Star Signs,” I was a goner. The guitar riffs, the drum pulses, the reverb, and the HARMONIES. Seriously, pay close attention to the vocal harmonies, they’re golden. Great things are coming out of Brooklyn with Best Behavior at the forefront.
With ‘60s inspired music, it’s very easy to have melodies mush together and for the songs to all sound the same; that said, Best Behavior does an incredible job in keeping every track separate but just as addicting as the last. Slowing it down with “Backwards Explanation,” pushing a catchy guitar riff in “No Friends,” pulling from hard rock in “Tinder Flakes,” each song has its own flair. Being able to recognize every song on an album after just a few listens? That’s important. All twelve tracks are memorable, and as a whole, oh baby. Why are you still reading this? Go listen to Good Luck Bad Karma!
Rating: Iconic
