Is it Something for the Rest of Us?

ReviewJuly 18, 2011Columbus Wired

Many say music is not what it used to be and notably so as I remember a time when cliché pop-rock bands were not a thing of the past. Granted this was a time where the iPod did not exist yet music lovers still found solace in the assortment of pop-rock bands on FM Radio. A bittersweet feeling begins to overwhelm me as realize that some of those bands are still with us today. Perhaps, now they are a little bit older and cannot compete with Bieber Fever but they are alive and well. So you can imagine how assuring it was to go back in time after listening to the Goo Goo Dolls ninth album “Something for the Rest of Us”. With his soothingly raspy voice, Johnny Rzeznik still delivers. While, the soundtrack to City of Angels made “Iris” a trademark for the Dolls, it becomes apparent that the band with the funky name and two lead singers have not lost their touch. The album conspires to emotionally appeal to fans just as they would expect. “Hey ya” is the kind of song that prompts the crowd to sway with their hands in the air while “Home” is the one you sing along to in traffic after along work day.  While the album has enough songs to sedate the average hopeless romantic, it strikes an even more of an emotional chord with the song “Not Broken” as the theme implies that reality of death. I also enjoyed the fact that Robby Takac (the second lead singer) made a remarkable appearance by singing two of the songs on the album. Overall, the album was beautifully written and is nothing short of what fans would expect from such a consistent band. The one thing that I always adored about the Dolls was their ability to make anyone in their early twenties feel special. Yes, I can look back and say I remember when the Goo Goo Dolls and Linkin Park reigned, do you? Fortunately, in my eyes, these guys still do. So rest easy young fans because the Goo Goo Dolls prove that there still is something for the rest of us.

Related