Those Halifax Geezas are back with their new single Goodbye (the third track from their soon forthcoming debut EP). This song shows a more forceful and urgent side to Geezas. While, like its immediate predecessor Everything’s Alright, the sensitive emotion stirs strong again in the vocals and lyrics, the music has bulked up and gives a much stronger and beatier edge to the band. I’m sure live Goodbye will get a bouncing reaction; there’s a good, happy rhythm going on.

Musically Geezas (Toby Steel (vocals + guitar), Toby Ellis (guitar), Rhys Jenkins (bass) and Isaac Brierley (drums)) seem to emit an air of early 1990’s indie of the likes of Weaser or Puddle of Mudd, but there’s a more contemporary appeal too. Toby Steel has a really strong vocal, deep-soft but determined. The emotion in the lyric really gives the air that the message in the song “I’m not ready to let it go” is urgent and real. Vocals are about giving a performance and Toby delivers it.

Goodbye could certainly muscle a place onto the airwaves, with lyrics that anyone who has had a relationship can relate to. The rhythm has a couple of pleasing little stutters in the beat and timing, which certainly does its stuff to make the song hit home.

Full Colour’s chief wordsmith Conrad Beriff had a hand in the song writing and Alex Holdsworth mixed the track, while it was produced at the excellent Gafro Studios. All pretty darn faultless to my ears.

Geezas cemented their reputation for quality, thoughtful, intelligent indie-rock with their first two tracks. With Goodbye they build it up with a tougher grit. It sits very well indeed.

Chris R