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The GoAround

Restating the Question

Written by: HES on 01/06/2014 22:08:17

A band consisting of only two members always makes me raise an eyebrow. I've had my share of poorly mixed, two person constellations made in someone's basement and hated every minute of them. Seeing that the GoAround is a two-man constellation and also self-released I turned my speakers on and prayed for the best. And for those who pray: Something good sometimes happens. In this case it did; because "Restating The Question" is a wonderful record.

The first single off the album "Her Love Is Like Glass" is a catchy little thing with the whole positive-depressed juxtaposition going on. This is a pop-rock album, but it has fine layers of folk, country and indie weaved into it here and there. Vocally the performance is a bit shaky, but it has its charm to it actually - the naivety of a couple of missed bars mixed with the high-pitched adolescent screams hits right home. The soundscape reminds me a bit of how pop-rock used to sound in the 90's and I'm sensing a bit of channeling of Goo Goo Dolls or Switchfoot but in an updated version with elements of folk, like harmonica on "When I Hit The Bottom" and banjo on the opener "Make It Loud".

Thematically, the album provides a song in all your standard categories; A sing-along, a ballad like "Sunflower Song", a pop-single in the shape of "Her Love Is Like Glass" and some more rock'ish songs like "Fooled". The songs are extremely well-written to say the least and you are essentially left in disbelief that only two musicians are able to deliver compositions as good as these. Most of the songs will get stuck in your mind by the third listen because of their well-placed hooks. The only thing that really holds this album back is the vast amount of songs - when some of these start to sound a bit too alike, I'd rather have had fewer songs with a tad more focus put into them. The otherwise great compositions start lagging a bit on songs like "On Your Shoulders" and "I Ran". But overall, this is a convincing debut with quality songs and creative use of instruments.

Download: Her Love Is Like Glass, Fooled, Remedy
For the fans of: Lumineers, Goo Goo Dolls, Noah and the Whale
Listen: Facebook

Release date 10.08.2013
Self-Released (LaFamos)