Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Review: Gooding "The Return" [FREE]


You may have heard the thunderous, adventuresome rock from Gooding already if you've seen movies and TV shows such as Walk The Line, The Animatrix, Nip/Tuck, or The Closer. After listening to his latest, "The Return", it isn't hard to figure out why his tunes are becoming ubiquitous in edgy films and TV episodes. Gooding's music starts with a melodic core and then is dressed to the nines with layers upon layers of diverse sounds. You'll hear classic rock with hints of industrial rock and an occasional urban beat, all set to grooves that will make you want to shake your booty (or at least nod along).

The blistering lead off, "Make The Devil Cry" trumpets 'the return' of Gooding. "Make The Devil Cry" is an obvious choice for a single - it rocks to the limit with sophisticated sonic textures that keep the verses interesting until the memorable chorus kicks in. This is quickly followed by the stomping "Go Kid Go", which features some lead guitar that would make Santana smile. "Vagabond" is even more accessible, serving as the best example of Gooding's ability to bleed into the pop rock genre - this track could be huge. Gooding can also slow it down to good effect without sacrificing his trademark sound, as displayed on the hauntingly beautiful "Please". "I'm Not Listening" is another standout, calling to mind U2's "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses". Another treat is "No One Gets Out Alive" - a song that isn't all that remarkable on the surface, but Gooding jazzes it up with some greasy slide guitar and tasty synth effects that make it irresistible.

If you can imagine what Moby would sound like if he grew a pair, then you can begin to get a sense of what you're in for with Gooding. If you can't imagine that, how about U2 performing songs written by David Bowie, with engineering done by Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails)? Seriously..."The Return" is the type of record that U2 should have released this year.

Gooding's new songs hit the airwaves and iTunes in Jan, 2010, and in March the band will embark on a 50 state tour, featuring showcases in LA, NYC and Austin. But you can get "The Return" for free right now! Click here.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10

Gooding on MySpace. Official site.

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