Goo Goo Dolls retain familiar sound

ReviewJune 12, 2013Purdue Exponent

Posted: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 10:00 am

By LOGAN JUDY Summer Reporter

After releasing nine albums and nearly 30 years together, one might expect the Goo Goo Dolls to branch out a little bit with their tenth album. Whether for good or for bad, they haven’t.

From the contagious melody of “Rebel Beat” to the piano in “Caught in This Storm” to the emotion of “Last Hot Night,” the album remains true to the sound of the beloved ‘90s pop-rock band. Fans have learned to love the Goo Goo Dolls for their expert blend of rock instrumentation with smooth pop melodies, and their new album “Magnetic” is no exception.

“Rebel Beat” kicks off the record with a feel-good tune, singing “You know that life is like a ticking clock, nobody knows when it’s gonna stop.”

The same vibe continues throughout the album, such as on “Slow It Down,” when lead singer John Rzeznik sings “Just shut your mouth and know that you are everything to me.” There is an utter absence of any pessimism, consistent with the Goo Goo Dolls formula.

“Come to Me” features a relaxed acoustic guitar tune that seems to fit lovestruck teenagers running through a cornfield, as the line “Fortune teller said I’d be free, and that’s the day you came to me” resonates with warm, fuzzy hearts across the globe.

While “Magnetic” presents the same sound as every record they have previously released, the album also is mostly lacking filler tracks. With each new song comes a new melody, just as powerful as the last.

With that said, some of the songs are reminiscent of previous Goo Goo Dolls hits. “Last Hot Night” sounds suspiciously similar to “Iris” and “Happiest of Days” is quite similar to “Name.”

Then comes the all-surprising closing track, “Keep the Car Running.” The song opens with a more melancholy tone, as Rzeznik sings “There are days when I feel that everything that’s good is gone.”

When the chorus comes in, listeners recognize the distinct Goo Goo Dolls sound, but it’s a more somber tune, singing “Tired of waiting around, now what are we becoming? Keep the car running.”

The Goo Goo Dolls found their niche long ago and have stuck to it; perhaps a little too much. The album is a solid continuation for the group, but offers very little in terms of new and exciting material. The album certainly will not alienate any fans that have learned to love their signature sound; but it will not gain them any new fans either.

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