Album Review-Golden Silvers: True Romance

It is often the convention, when reviewing a record to leave the verdict until the end of the article but I’m not one for mincing words. This is one of the few records I have heard in recent years that I have decided to review just so I can justify listening to it for the thirtieth time in one day. I love it.

Golden Silvers are what one might refer to as “retro-pop” with each track giving a bold nod to the 1980s in one way or another. The title track for example, begins with a pulsating drum pattern and glistening synthesizer chords that are almost reminiscent of Duran Duran (Microsoft word has just offered me the option to “delete repeated word.” What a joker!).

The second single from the record, entitled Please Venus is ultimately a track about unrequited love and a girl who wants out of a relationship. This track is very much suited to commercial shopping playlists, not to say that it is lacking in interest but it is certainly one of their most sonically subdued efforts. Having said that the lyric commences with seriously powerful imagery:

“She was a murderess, in a million dollar dress.”

“Beneath those wide, dark eyes, she was never satisfied.”

This dark imagery is prominent throughout the record but is often coupled with an upbeat musical accompaniment making for an enthralling juxtaposition of emotion.

The most extreme variation from the quintessential Golden Silvers retro-indie-electro sound comes in the form of the closing track Fade to Black which sees the band venture into bona fide ballad territory. This track marks the end of the album True Romance with a track about the closing stages of a relationship, almost giving the record a concept album vibe, moving through the motions of a relationship from start to finish in a similar manner to that of Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys.

“I don’t want you to go because I know I’ll want you back but the fantasy it fades to black.”




For fans of: Mystery Jets, Vampire Weekend, and The Rumble Strips.