Exclusive Eating Details / Goodbye Ranger

As you may not know, I don’t get out much. On September 3rd I decided to be different and check out a live show. I reckon it would be wrapped up early enough for me to be up bright and early the next day. After all I have walls to stare at.

So the venue is Pho Cao in Scottsdale, Arizona. A cool spot where local bands play. Also doubling as a Vietnamese restaurant with a bar. The bands are somewhat newer as far as time that have played under these names. First is Goodbye Ranger. A two piece dream pop act. Upon listening to the latest release Memories and the Sky I can say they sound incredible live. Check out LP review and more here https://meatsheetfanzine.com/new-august-memories-views-choices/

Due to the wonders of backing tracks and tech I care not to understand, Goodbye Ranger sounds as rich as a four piece or more band.

It should be noted that the soundboard operator did not show and Goodbye Ranger rolls in with their own solution. Moving along…

Andrew plays guitar and vocals. For more on Andrew’s work I’ll provide you with another link. A few words about Andrew’s LP under the name FLDPLN are aqui https://meatsheetfanzine.com/easy-song-soup/

For additional material, you may want to research and check out Andrew’s band Sway. I’m certain they provide some context and compliment Goodbye Ranger quite nicely. However it’s on my running to do list to check them out.

With plenty of time based effects on the pedal board, he sings and creates the six string layers of sound. Gwendolyn complements the vocals and commands the additional instrumentation. It’s my opinion, if you can make this kind of music with just two people why not ? A perfect union of less creating more.

The headlining band is Details of Eating. Look over and subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTSm_IizUvYoG-3ZzSBqM0g

and goto their Instagram Https://www.instagram.com/detailsofeating

Featuring two members of a local band I am a fan of. The band is Health and Rifle Club. However Health and Rifle Club is on hiatus. Eric (vocals and guitar) and Brent (bass) comprise the Health and Rifle Club lineup that are now 66.6% of Details Of Eating. On percussion is Max. Together this trio is quite the Effective Team. (one of H and RC and Details Of Eatings songs). I’ll cover the details of Details of Eating set in a moment. First let’s go back to Goodbye Ranger.

Goodbye Ranger begin with a swelling intro. Yes it sounds as good as it does recorded. That is based on my listening to the aforementioned release Memories and the Sky. The room is awash in reverberated guitars and layers of hazed out dream like backing tracks. It is a great experience to sit in a plush booth listening to the music eating pho. However I like to keep those experiences separate so I finish it during the first song.

Goodbye Ranger’s set is full of dual vocals and plenty of opportunities to get lost in the ether.

I enjoyed the songs that were not part of the new release, however being somewhat new to the band and the material it is overwhelming. More so in the sense I don’t recognize the sounds. On the other hand, this did not make it any less enjoyable to hear and see. A truly immersive string of songs. Dream rock fans simply have to check them out for themselves. I’ll be hoping to hear them live again soon.

Next and last is Details of Eating. I may have listened or heard very little from Details as they are on the very new side of being a band. The members though, played cohesively. Well rehearsed and tight for a newer band.

Energetic, enthusiastic, and at times, casual. Not casual in the sense that the songs do not matter to them, we’ll say slightly relaxed on some songs. Keyed up on others.

I find it hard to pin down the sound of Details of Eating accurately. You could say alternative rock that nods influence to late 80’s and 90’s college radio. Another way of saying it is the pure form of alt or art rock before it was aware of what it was.

At times a definite departure from Health and Rifle Club. That is when they are not playing Health and Rifle’s songs like Effective Team and a few others. A stand out one that caught me is The Lark. Leaving the new wave and indie arena and going into a more harder rock alternative feel. Honestly I need more time to absorb their stuff, but Details of Eating have a feeling of locked in groove. The genres bend and sway through the set. On some material the new wave influence is apparent and other genres temporarily go away. I would not say that Details of Eating are going for the multi genre sound per se. Perhaps they have some older and newer material and gigs like this could be a beta test on what is going to be the most fun and work in live setting.

Eric’s voice is distinct and unique. Imagine blending Danny Elfman and Robert Smith. That is a less staccato delivery than Elfman. For Smith strip away the higher pitch whininess that is actually his signature vocal sound. Blend those and you are a step closer to Eric’s vocals. One may even hear a little Echo and the Bunnymen? This is just a ballpark estimate. The rhythm section of Details is strong. Max and Brent have a solid grip on the beats. Much like Goodbye Ranger though, I need more data and listening time.

Even though it is hard to pinpoint Details Of Eating sound in words for me ,at this time, I am intrigued and inclined to investigate them more.

I can only imagine what may happen if they continue to hammer away at music and grow this quickly in the future.