Goldenstate
"Seconds" CDEP
Radio
Failing
Genres: alternative rock, mainstream rock, rock/pop
July 18 - 24 2005 |
Goldenstate are pure mid-90s alternative rock; I'm thinking Pearl
Jam, Matchbox 20, and Dave Matthews Band. Seconds
is full of catchy, pleasant rock songs that are entertaining
though contrived. There is certainly a market for this sort of thing,
but given the amount of it I receive, this band will likely have a
tough time fighting obscurity by numbers. Fortunately, they seem to
have amassed a decent fanbase - so their brand of inoffensive,
straightforward rock music should be able to achieve some measure of
success. "The Amazing Shrinking Man" is the highlight of
this EP; it's a pure Pearl Jam-esque number with a strong
melody and a nice, grungy texture. "Lucky Girl" is also
catchy and enjoyable, with a dark, grimy energy behind it. Some of the
slower songs drag a bit, giving off a bland Matchbox 20 vibe
that I don't really like ("Hindsight," "Lost at
Sea") - but, hey, there were evidently enough m20 fans out
there to support a wide array of Billboard hits. In short, this isn't
exactly my cup of tea, but there's enough melody in Seconds to
make it a lasting alternative rock record. 70%
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
6 tracks, distributed by Radio
Failing, released 2005] |
