Album Review: Kind Hands

Goodwill is the solo project of producer, songwriter, and former nomad member Will McGillivray. Having been songwriting over the last couple of years since the release of the Incontrol EP, Goodwill is releasing Kind Hands, a debut album of nine tracks.

He states that Kind Hands seeks to shake off “the angst and dissonance from Incontrol”, and I would suggest mission amply accomplished. Opening track Goner is led in by low waves of synth, the yearning vocals adding to the sombre tone, only for gentle percussion and a sweet guitar line to lift the mood to somewhere more positive and uplifting, the vocals heading to places that bring Thom Yorke nicely to mind. Some lovely vocal harmonies are placed artfully throughout. It hits a slightly different mood for the outro, more broad and open. A fantastic start to the album. Up next is the title track, a delicious blend of guitars, soft drums, a rich full bass, and occasional subtle synths underscore the floating-on-clouds vocals. A bouncy, happy-go-lucky song, sweet and pure. The kind of song that can lift you right out of a low mood, an unpretentious and beautifully simple song that ably follows the opener, continuing to set the scene for the album yet to come.

Kill The Guilt continues in the softer, slower vein, the rhythm section and guitars a nicely full presence under the vocals. Will’s senses of melody and harmony well on display in this warm and reflective piece. A smooth, flowing instrumental section sees this one to its conclusion. A haunting synth and booming drum track kick off Xhale, in this track that veers stylistically slightly away from the previous three, led more by keys than guitar. A brilliant mix of dark and light in this song, constantly contrasting the two without truly becoming either. It is becoming increasingly evident why Will has received so many songwriting accolades, superb stuff. An almost distant sounding synth heralds the beginning of Kalm Hands, what I’d expect as a soundtrack whilst floating in space, sparse and briefly blooming, eventually the merest hints of a voice becoming audible, then disappearing as swiftly as they’d arrived, before the most gentle of fade-outs. An utter delight of a piece.

Finger-picked guitar and yet more gorgeous vocal work are the order of the day in Obamas. An ode to joy singing of that most wonderful of pleasures, a road trip on a beautiful day, with a beloved one. Blissful. I’m really loving Will’s craftmanship by this point, and in Plans we have more vocal harmonies that are just spot on, just glorious. The tempo and overall feel are so upbeat and lively, this would have a marble statue’s toes tapping.

By contrast, Luck is stark synths and voice blossoming into a low rumble, which continues to smooth out into a more deep and thoughtful sound, he has a real talent for pulling lightness out of dark.

Rounding out this debut offering is I Will Never Let You Down, a subtle and stunning love song, expertly composed and produced, a perfect ending to this collection of songs. 

Goodwill is a songwriter and vocalist par excellence. Kind Hands is likely destined for a strong future. You should go and have a listen, after all, you deserve the best.