Spring Break
Clever lyrics and feel-good flavor
In the wake of bands such as the Postal Service and the Decemberists, Steve Goldberg and the Arch Enemies add more quirky, melodic nerd rock to the world with their self-titled debut album.
by Andrea Fineman
Managing Editor
Music | 1/22/08
Posted online at 11:35 PM EST on 1/21/08
"Dire" and "gloomy" are indeed poor descriptors for Steve Goldberg and the Arch Enemies. The band members even carry the cuteness and cleverness over (and a little too far, if you ask me) into their bios on their Web site, www.stevegoldbergmusic.com. Goldberg's bio reads, in part, "Wanted in seven countries for breaking the rules of counterpoint. Has been known to overdub at the slightest provocation. Should be considered disarming and dangerous."
The music, however, despite all this talk of influence and snarky Web material, is saved by Goldberg's engaging, clever lyrics and cute rhymes. (A favorite of bloggers comes from "Julia": "Julia, you've got a lovely uvula.") The varied instrumentation, such as the use of harpsichords and other less than common instruments, also keeps what could be sweet, flavorless, sunny pop interesting and fresh.
The second half of the album, which was also Goldberg's senior music project at Carnegie Mellon University, according to an article in the Pittsburg City Paper, is a little blander than the first half. The lyrics give way to platitudes like, "If you be my alibi, I'll sing you lullabies." All the yearning and earnestness in Goldberg's voice doesn't mix well with the few sour notes he lets loose in a couple of ballads toward the end of the album. However, the last track "Summer's Ending" marks a return to the kind of clever, airtight tunes that populate the beginning of the album. It's a classic album-ender, in the tradition of The Shins and The Decemberists: the lyrics tell a story as Goldberg sings sweetly over a soft layer of strings. The vocals and strings build into something more epic before ending at the 4:27 mark.
Given Goldberg's 2005 EP, How I Remember Them, and this LP with the Arch Enemies, it won't be a surprise to see Goldberg release a second or third album in the near future to much greater acclaim than this self-titled album. After downloading "Preston the Penguin" (off How I Remember Them) from an MP3 blog three or four years ago, I have always looked forward to news of any new Goldberg releases. The LP is certainly no disappointment and only presages greater things to come.
The music, however, despite all this talk of influence and snarky Web material, is saved by Goldberg's engaging, clever lyrics and cute rhymes. (A favorite of bloggers comes from "Julia": "Julia, you've got a lovely uvula.") The varied instrumentation, such as the use of harpsichords and other less than common instruments, also keeps what could be sweet, flavorless, sunny pop interesting and fresh.
The second half of the album, which was also Goldberg's senior music project at Carnegie Mellon University, according to an article in the Pittsburg City Paper, is a little blander than the first half. The lyrics give way to platitudes like, "If you be my alibi, I'll sing you lullabies." All the yearning and earnestness in Goldberg's voice doesn't mix well with the few sour notes he lets loose in a couple of ballads toward the end of the album. However, the last track "Summer's Ending" marks a return to the kind of clever, airtight tunes that populate the beginning of the album. It's a classic album-ender, in the tradition of The Shins and The Decemberists: the lyrics tell a story as Goldberg sings sweetly over a soft layer of strings. The vocals and strings build into something more epic before ending at the 4:27 mark.
Given Goldberg's 2005 EP, How I Remember Them, and this LP with the Arch Enemies, it won't be a surprise to see Goldberg release a second or third album in the near future to much greater acclaim than this self-titled album. After downloading "Preston the Penguin" (off How I Remember Them) from an MP3 blog three or four years ago, I have always looked forward to news of any new Goldberg releases. The LP is certainly no disappointment and only presages greater things to come.
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