By Ryan Broderick
The members of Goldfinger were giants of the ska-punk scene all throughout the ’90s and are now trying to do something that many of their peers have tried and failed at-they release a new album of all new material which doesn’t alienate older fans.
Their newest album, “Hello Destiny,” is their first release of original material since their 2005 album “Disconnection Notice” and it does just that. From the second track, listeners are introduced to something truly outstanding, a return to form that still sounds relevant.
Pop-punk’s commercial hey-day was in the mid-to-late ’90s and Goldfinger instantly set themselves apart with hyper-kinetic songs that bounced and sped about with hooks catchier than those of their peers. The common problem, though, facing pop-punk veterans releasing a new album is making an album that remains true to their sound without producing out their soul and being able to appeal to new listeners. It’s a balancing act that few bands have been able to pull off.
Goldfinger, though, has by far made one of the more valiant attempts. Facing the problem of keeping up the energy and youthful aggression that made them popular , they manage on “Hello Destiny.” Another pitfall though, is making an album that doesn’t just recycle what has been done before, and, again, they succeed, and marvelously at that.
The album opens with a bang and the only times they slow down are into horn heavy ska songs (a godsend to fans waiting for them to embrace their ska days of old). On their heavier and faster songs, Goldfinger sounds like they’ve found the cure for aging and even on the slower tracks, they still have that aggression that seems to drift from punk bands the more they grow as a band.
On 13 tracks of short, punchy, pissed-off pop punk, it’s quite clear the guys made this for fans and for themselves. In the process, they pull off something that captures their essence, one that had been fading away in their newer releases.
Not only do they achieve a sound that hasn’t aged, they keep songs more aggressive and more intense than most of the younger bands out today. The only thing age has done for Goldfinger is give them a better and more focused hold on their songwriting abilities.
Guest starring on “Hello Destiny” is Bert McCracken of The Used, Ian Watkins of LostProphets and Monique Powell of Save Ferris. Older bands sometimes bring in younger artists to keep the energy up. In Goldfinger’s case, the newer talent sounds as though they’re trying to keep up.
In retaining their sound and maturing it naturally at the same time, the band has gone back to its roots and remembered what made them the semi-success they are.
At the same time, going back to your roots means making some of your old pit falls. Lyrically, Goldfinger becomes a little sluggish at times, and seems to be reaching too far. In instrumentation, they also make a few risks that blemish the album a bit. “Hello Destiny” won’t launch them into mainstream glory, and it won’t make them radio favorites. But it’s clear throughout the album that this wasn’t their goal. Their goal was to give their fans something new to appreciate when listen to, and for that they deserve as much praise as possible.
Goldfinger isn’t exactly like you remember them, but they’re closer than they used to be and that’s a beautiful thing.