The Good Life
Novena On A Nocturn

Before The Good Life became one of the most interesting Indie Rock bands on the Nebraska scene, the project was just an embryonic creation by the charismatic Tim Kasher (already the guitarist and singer of the heavier and punkier Cursive), who, with the occasional help of some musician friends, practically ran the project by himself. In 2000, he released the first great album "Novena On A Nocturn", published by Better Looking Records.

Putting aside distorted guitars, off-beat drums, and the folk touches of the parallel project, Kasher now prefers to engage in different fields, primarily delivering a fresh, personal, and intimate songwriting, but above all exploring multiple genres and showcasing all the musical preferences and influences that shaped him. It’s a concept framework for this original work that moves between minimal/distorted drum machines ("A Golden Exit"), synthpop influences, glitch, and intense Bristol strings (the dark "Twenty Two"), evocative organs and keyboards ("An Acquaintance Strikes A Chord"), and soft and velvety atmospheres ("What We Fall For When We're Alrea"), which support the undisputed eclecticism of the chameleon-like Tim. He also takes the liberty of often evoking giants like David Gahan or the Gallagher brothers (as in the dreamy "A Dim Entrance" and its superb accompaniments), or the coiffed Robert Smith (see the suggestive "The Competition", where gentle piano notes alternate with the imposing heartfelt and passionate interpretation by the talented Kasher). The Omaha all-round songwriter does not spare us more challenging arrangements and above-average vocal performances, (it’s worth citing the seductive "The Moon Red Handed", with its chorus full of pathos, and the wonderful "Your Birthday Present", among the highlights of this barely 37-minute album).

We basically define Novena On A Nocturn as indie-rock, but let it be clear, far from certain all-alike and stereotyped products usually published by makeshift neighborhood bands, Tim does everything alone. The immense work and richness that lie behind the album (also offering us a production-mastering-mixing-sound of undeniable quality) leave us satisfied. With The Good Life project, he even navigates with ease through cold dark-wavy landscapes that wink at the aforementioned The Cure, The Smiths, delicate, reflective, and nocturnal atmospheres, just like the singular cover would suggest, (in this case "Waiting On Wild Horses", with Tim still in a remarkable state of grace, is the most concrete example).

In short, an album full of good ideas, certainly the presence of a recurring melancholic ballad and "mellow" manner could eventually become tiresome, and to be honest, I also had this impression the first time I came across the album. But over time, and with attentive listening, this record has managed to win me over (even though I'm not particularly fond of the genre). The various full ratings that the album's web reviews share are deserved, the underrated and never too discussed Kasher has truly managed to create an excellent work, and even the subsequent releases are not so bad, although inferior to this debut. Nonetheless, a 4.5, due to some rare anonymous moments that do not fully convince, but if you're in the mood for something "musically new" (despite the release being 8 years ago), opt for this album, it won't disappoint you.