Good Shoes debut 'Think Before You Speak' was one my favourite albums of the past couple of years. Every single song could have been a single and it made a lasting impression on me. Seeing them live on a few occasions has also been a pleasure. So after two songs, 'The Way My Heart Beats' and single 'Under Control' were made available before new effort 'No Hope, No Future' was released, I had really high hopes for this record.
Unfortunately the album doesn't quite live up to the expectations I had set by their glorious debut and the two new singles. They are by far the best offerings on the album, perhaps with the exception of 'Our Loving Mother In A Pink Diamond'. It is still a good album, but I still can't help feeling slightly underwhelmed as I know what the band are capable of. The album is slightly darker in a Maccabees-style-sophomore way, but still unmistakably Good Shoesm mainly due to Steve Leach's scratch guitar and Rhys Jones' singing. It is still an enjoyable listen the whole way through. I just really hope they get the chance to make a few more records after this one. And I would definitely catch them live if you get the chance.
