Good Rumour is made up of Edmonton musicians Liam Faucher, Colin Faucher, Chris Wiebe and Arnel Ethier. Their debut EP, Always Here, is progressively optimistic, gaining positive momentum through a collection of melancholic moments. Beginning with “Atlas”, soft vocals and guitar set a brooding tone that evolves into something resembling curiosity. The lyrics play with natural imagery, reflecting “against the sky-like mirror”, while guitar and bass add a touch of fantasy; the result is a dynamic texture.
While Good Rumour is an emerging collective, the individual members bring years of creative development to the group. Their musicianship is evident in their composition of slow-burning jams like “Montrose”. Closing on a high note, the final track is a cumulation of steady rock beats, a grooving bass-line and image-laden lyrics. While the lyrics tell a tale of being out of reach, distant and away from home, the drums drive direction and purpose into the melody. The juxtaposition between lamenting verses and hopeful choruses suggests an exploration unconfined by monolithic emotion.
Good Rumour is not afraid to play with key and timing to accomplish a more complex soundscape. While the tracks are all quite catchy and cyclical, they are also thoughtful and experimental. The lyrics and melodies alike strike a nice balance between giving the ear what it wants and leaving something to be desired. Theirs is the kind of music that thrives in that bittersweet space of figuring things out. It’s discoverable; existential and danceable all at once.
