Released: August 24, 2010
Label: Black Numbers
It seems like a strong sense of melody is at the opposite end of the spectrum from the raw, tattered edges of pure passion, but the two do in fact occasionally find common ground…like they do on Go Rydell’s The Golden Age. What’s particularly interesting is how the band’s sense of both melody and passion co-exist without one being enslaved to the other. Right off the bat, “MTA” takes off in a bolt of hardcore energy only to have more than a hint of catchiness follow along shortly, settling itself into the song before it takes off again. This is the blueprint for the album and they execute it extremely well. In addition to the ebb and flow of hardcore rage and Face to Face-ish hooks, Go Rydell tackle the past from the misery of today with enough hope for tomorrow that it’s hard to say which is really the “Golden Age.”
The Golden Age is available for donation-based download until August 16th (so hurry!). The limited vinyl (100 Blue, 150 White, 250 Green) and hand-screened CDs are available for pre-order now at the Black Numbers site.
Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10
If you’re curious about my rating system, it’s explained here.