Goat - All of My Friends

Rating

single star

RIYL

Crash Test Dummies Beck G Love and Special Sauce Morcheeba

Tracklist

1. Star
2. Angel
3. Far
4. All of My Friends
5. Dreaming
6. Nothing
7. One for Nothing
8. Garden of Love
9. Day at the Races
10. Fade
11. Star (Acoustic Version)
12. Great Life
13. Really Great Life (Bonus Track)

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This offering from Goat is very deceptive. For the first four and a half minutes All of My Friends masquerades under the pretence that it is a fun, accessible, and pretty damn catchy pop record. Oh how wrong can one man be??

It would seem that Goat are keen to empty all of their eggs straight into one basket. It is clear that leadoff track "Star" is the album’s one true single and could sufficiently entice even the hardiest of listeners to tap their feet and croon along with the singer. It is a relatively by the numbers affair, with only a few unusual synth lines and the minor appearance of a banjo to separate it from the bulk of modern day pop-rock. It’s uptempo, cheery and fundamentally pleasant.

To say that judging Goat’s style from this one track would be impractical would be a gross understatement. This is one of the more extensively eclectic albums to have ever graced someone’s stereo in recent times. To unravel this mystery requires foolhardiness and a monumental tolerance for slow paced snoozery. The music on this album calls on a broad plethora of influences, most noticeable of which is electronica. Songs such as "Far" and "All of My Friends" find themselves leaning towards the brand of electro trip-hop employed by Beck or more recently Morcheeba. However, the bizzare addition of banjos, pianos, and dobros (yes that’s right, dobros) into the mix adds a country style twist, which is often detrimental as they feel highly incongruous and leave the arrangements feeling cluttered and confused.

Hip hop is another musical genus which has had a clear effect on Goat. While many of the songs contain rudimentary doses of said genre, the band have even gone so far as to incorporate an entire hip hop song or two. Reminiscent of G Love and Special Sauce in their lyrical delivery (though truly this is an insult to the far more talented duo) "One For Nothing" is a real shocker of a track, with nothing to recommend it, not even an attractive beat. The follow up track is quick to redeem the situation however. "Garden of Love" incites a silky jazz lounge feel over a subdued but lush hip hop/r&b rhythm, which is far more pleasing to the ears. Also on show here is a smattering of ivory tinkling piano, a xylophone, and even some strings, this is the most noteable of all the tracks on this album (other than "Star") and finds Goat absolutely nailing their sound (whatever it is). Overall there are far too many unanticipated appearances of various instruments and styles to recount them all, but you get the picture.

The vocals on this album are, much like the music itself, varied in style and effectiveness. The singer has a singing voice that is not unattractive, with a distinct southern drawl that sounds like the Crash Test Dummies but with a higher pitch. The singing, while not particularly exceptional, is solid and listenable and far surpasses the rapping sections in its execution. It is when the vocals under examination are switched to spoken word that they feel uninteresting and frankly, sound like shit. This man was clearly not endowed with the gift of “bussin’ rhymes”, a fact which is painfully illustrated in the cringe worthy spoken/rapped sections of this disc.

In conclusion, the puzzle of Goat’s All Of My Friends is one that very few listeners will be willing to piece together, as the picture it results in is overcomplicated and uninspiring. If you like inaccessible, wearing, and difficult then maybe this album is for you. If you like accessible, interesting, and easy (like normal people) then take my advice and avoid this like the plague.

--Rhys Duggan

Last updated: 09/29/2009 08:53PM

Comments

monstar_serum_booster
08/15/2005
11:12AM
Location
Behind you!
Ouch Rick, was this really a poor review??



"I too have an uncle... come in..."

Rick Gebhardt
08/15/2005
11:20AM
Age: 30
Location
Minnesota
This was a poor cd. I had to hold back a stream of puke as I listened to a couple of songs. It's utter rubbish and I hope no one buys anything by Goat.... ever.

Find me EVERYWHERE:

monstar_serum_booster
08/16/2005
02:07AM
Location
Behind you!
You should be a politician



"I too have an uncle... come in..."