Goldenboy - Underneath The Radio
Goldenboy - Underneath The Radio
album review
if ever given a choice, i would have to say that i default to melancholy. it's a beautiful emotion, isn't it? it's not emo in the least - there are no crying black mascara boys wearing black wristbands and girl pants with too many belts (it might be your guilty pleasure guys, but eventually you have to face the, er, music). the representatives are pensive, usually well respected, and write both beautifully toned-down instrumentation with meaningful lyrics. you can bop your head along to whatever bubblegum pop masterpiece you can find and i'll be right there with you, but in the end, the stuff that really sticks to you is the music that doesn't go down as easily. if anything can relate to your emotion in the complexity of sadness or even just rumination, it's genius.

this is what i've discovered in listening to Goldenboy's Underneath The Radio. there is no getting around such comparisons as Neil Finn or Matt Sharp or, most often, Elliott Smith, seeing as the resumes for both musicians include instrumentation and vocals for such big names - but the tone of this music sometimes manages to bring in something a little newer. opening track "Ice Breaker Blues" instantly smacks of the track from Death In Vegas on the Lost In Translation Soundtrack - so much so that i immediately placed it and went to play it. the difference with Goldenboy (aka Shon Sullivan) is that his voice packs so much garnered understanding and a constant melancholic innocence. it is not, however, only Shon; in the mix is Bryan Bos on drums, methodically yet organically keeping beats that match the tone and the mood of the sad and lovely pop.

the music is beautiful, the lyrics are thoughtful, and it's sad, lonely, and pure. there is always sun behind clouds, isn't there?

::::give it a try:
Goldenboy - Motorbike
Goldenboy - Ice Breaker Blues

Goldenboy's myspace = extra listening.
until Goldenboy's new album is on store shelves, you can look forward to their upcoming tour this fall. i'll give you any news i receive on them. you can depend on me! (arm swing)  shan  11:09 AM  |  view comments (0)