‘Good Old War’ fights the good fight

Good Old War

Good Old War

Label: Sargent House

Rocks Like: Crosby, Stills & Nash, a… Good Old War

Good Old War

Label: Sargent House

Rocks Like: Crosby, Stills & Nash, a folksier Jason Mraz, Dispatch

Grade: A

Alternative acoustic group Good Old War takes no mere visit to folk territory. Rather, it makes a full-on leap into the genre and emerges with fresh, three-part vocal harmonies and a mellow sound.

Upon first gracing the listener’s ears, Good Old War comes across as suitable only for subdued background noise for relaxing, each note awash with the tones of a lazy summer. But there’s a deftly buried complexity that makes this CD well worth multiple replays. The album could play just as well on a boombox during a Frisbee flinging session at Schenley as it could on the iPod of a fiercely concentrating individual.

“My Own Sinking Ship”, formerly released as a single, showcases the band’s vocal talent in its haunting refrain. “Sneaky Louise,” about dealing with a thieving friend, sounds crisp and truthful and is one of the album’s few deviations from romantic songs.

Good Old War is comprised of Keith Goodwin on guitar and vocals, Tim Arnold on drums and vocals and Dan Schwartz on lead guitar and vocals — GOODwin, ArnOLD, SchWARtz … get it?

Good Old War’s sophomore album — perplexingly the band’s debut was not this eponymous release but 2008’s Only Way To Be Alone— presents themes that are easy to identify with and melodies that alternately delight, soothe and sympathize with the listener.

The band has an unapologetically unique sound, resplendent with glimpses of Americana but devoid of folk gimmicks or concessions to musical fads. Most songs have a storytelling structure, conveying emotion with a lyricism and eloquence that has become hard to find in today’s music.