Goodwill, Good Will / New EP – am i better in your head

Goodwill, Good Will is a trio from the US and this is their new EP am I better in your head. It follows from their debut EP in 2018 and actively discusses feelings of anxiety and depression, but instead of trying to turn that frown upside down, they choose to simply embrace it. Too much of the world tries to slap a smile on things and hope they’ll feel better, but it’s only through active conversation that we can start to make a change to one another.

“always, often” kicks off the EP and can be summed up with the question “have you ever felt alone in a crowded room?”. This is something I deal with routinely, and it’s refreshing to hear GWGW detail it with vocals that softly creep through the airwaves, as various guitar chords ring out. Once the song kicks in, the airwaves are flooded with crashing drums, fuzzy bass tones and distorted guitars, suddenly producing an accurate internal monologue filled with anxiety. I love the lead melody that cuts through the noise and provides an extra emotion to the song, the tribal-like drums that decorate the breakdown and also the sheer passion that’s given in the closing moments of the track.

This is followed by second single “broke___” which offers a much more upbeat instrumental, complete with fast-paced drumming and noisy guitars. Lyricisms of waking up on the bathroom floor simmer the mood, especially once the realisation of this becoming a common occurrence is heard. It cuts a nice contrast and does end up with the character in this song opting to take a risk and start to live life in a healthier manner however, allowing the track to become a real highlight of the EP.

All in all, am I better in your head is a fantastic EP. It’s a record that consistently delivers a strong blend of alternative and emo elements together, allowing the staples of Emo to shine against some seriously good instrumentals. The sludgey riff of “Dirt”, the melodic maze and drawn out sounds of “non-binary” and the lo-fi flurry of noise of “On my way! Home”. Each track holds so much variety that the EP seems to flow by effortlessly.

For all of the heaviness in the lyrics, and the sincere desire to downtrodden the mood throughout, am I better in your head is one of the best EPs I’ve heard in a long time.

Listen to “broke___” below and check out Goodwill, Good Will on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.