Track-by-Track: Good Fuck – Do Something, Something Happens

There’s audible chemistry in Good Fuck’s sound; Kinsella’s extensive history in genre-pushing rock and roll (Joan of Arc, Cap’n Jazz) is strikingly complimented by Pulse’s fresh ear for minimalist electro sounds. Kinsella and Pulse achieved complete artistic symbiosis in composing Good Fuck’s music. – Joyful Noise Recordings

Handing over the mic to artists/musicians who break down their new albums track by track/share the thought process behind the creation. Today we’ll hear from Jenny Pulse (aka Spa Moans) of Good Fuck, duo she’s in with Tim Kinsella (Cap’n’Jazz / Joan of Arc / Galactic Unity Ensemble).

Becoming Unbecoming

The phrase “Baby’s all right” comes from Pitch Dark by Renata Adler. Saying the opposite (baby’s not all right) is a simple and pointed statement about how it feels to be anyone in the US right now, let down in every way by our government at every level—from POTUS and his enablers and their supposed opposition, down to the mayors and beat cops—it’s clear they obviously don’t care about the basics of social services and dignity of the citizenry. Our government’s response to the current police brutality happening throughout our nation has only exacerbated the pain and anxiety. Those marching the streets have been targeted for demobilization. This is a punk song lyrically as a response.

We wanted to start the record off with a bang. We have occasionally strived to sound like Broadcast or Stereolab and I think this song is the closest we’ve come.

Lavish Indignities

Tim said I had to make a disco song, so this is our disco song. We did a lot of back-and-forth on this one to make the beats and structure as dynamic as possible. I imagine this song being played at Smartbar (or any club for that matter), which is why it’s so sub-heavy. This song poses the question: how does America improve its capitalist democracy that has been designed and is continuously being redesigned by the wealthiest of the wealthy (basically mobsters)? And how do the rest of us forgive ourselves for partaking in simple pleasures when we can, while the world is going to shit? Make art?

Confirm My Senses

I didn’t realize I was making a Black Sabbath inspired bass line, but it seems I did so. My main inspirations for this song were “The Payback” by James Brown and Gil-Scott Heron in general, and not that I could ever sing like Sade, but I thought of her throughout the whole song. The two samples in the beginning are Audre Lorde and St. John of The Cross, chosen by Tim in response to my lyrics.

Reality Jock Hunger Jam

At the start of making the EP Tim and I were figuring out how to divide the work, and I asked him to make a giant sample bank. I spent a day alone at Open House Contemporary Chicago writing starts to maybe 10 songs. This was the weekend when rioting broke out everywhere in response to the murder of George Floyd. There was only one vocal take I was able to get done while there, and it’s the only vocal loop of my voice that you hear the entire song. Tim collaged together the words of people who are more eloquently able to speak for us. This is their song. We just provided a comfortable space for them to live in together.

Copacetic Bandana 

The title is maybe the most currently relevant riff off of Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana”? That’s all Tim. I wanted to return to my love of RnB and Acid music. This is that song. I pulled words from a novel I was working on and abandoned. I wanted to write a song about my strong desire to leave. Leaving is easy when you disregard love.