What makes The Long Goodbye by The Essex Green notable?

This album received critical acclaim, with many praising its melodic craftsmanship and lyrical depth. It has been noted for its influence on the indie pop revival of the early 2000s, drawing comparisons to contemporaries such as The Shins and Belle and Sebastian. The Long Goodbye is The Essex Green's third studio album, released in 2003 after a four-year hiatus following their sophomore effort, If You Don't Feel It. At this point, the band was exploring a blend of indie pop and rock, having established themselves as notable contributors to the genre with their earlier works.

How many songs are on The Long Goodbye?

The Long Goodbye has 12 tracks, running approximately 38 minutes.

The Long Goodbye

The Essex Green · 2003

38 min · 12 tracks · indie rock

A sun-soaked tapestry of jangly guitars and wistful melodies that evoke nostalgia for lost summers.

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Top tracks — play these first

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By the Sea — This opening track sets the tone for the album with its breezy atmosphere and vivid imagery, encapsulating themes of longing and escape.
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The Late Great Cassiopia — A standout for its lush instrumentation and reflective lyrics, this song showcases the band's knack for storytelling through rich sonic textures.
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Southern States — With its catchy chorus and upbeat tempo, this track exemplifies the band's ability to blend melancholy themes with an infectious sound, making it memorable.
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Sorry River — This track features poignant lyrics paired with a haunting melody that highlights the band's emotional range and lyrical sophistication.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

54 /100

Foothills

Higher than 43% of albums we've rated

The album features strong melodies and cohesive sound, though it doesn't fully stand out in its genre.

What we noticed

The album opens with a bright, jangly guitar riff in 'By the Sea', setting a consistent tone that persists through most tracks.
Several songs feature layered vocal harmonies that create a lush soundscape, particularly evident in 'Our Lady in Havana' and 'Lazy May'.
The tempo varies slightly, but most tracks maintain a mid-tempo pace, with only a few moments of dynamic shifts to keep the listener engaged.
The final track, 'Berlin', concludes with an extended instrumental fade-out, allowing the album to end on a reflective note.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 6/10
Durability 25% of the score: 6/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 6/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 7/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 By the Sea 2:57
2 The Late Great Cassiopia 3:31
3 Our Lady in Havana 4:50
4 Lazy May 2:29
5 Southern States 3:10
6 Julia 2:54
7 Old Dominion 2:16
8 Sorry River 2:31
9 Chartiers 3:24
10 Whetherman 3:26
11 The Boo Hoo Boy 4:02
12 Berlin 2:28

What to play next

Listen next

Cannibal Sea

2006

Go back to

Everything Is Green

1999

Full The Essex Green discography Artists like The Essex Green

indie rock

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata