Goodnight Star

Item: Goodnight Star
Author: Sucré Musique

(1999)

Reviewed by Sucré Musique

Discogs Apple Music Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Plastiq MusiqBandoppler1999

electronic new wave synth pop

"Goodnight Star" is a little bit of a paradigm of contradictions. In one corner, we have a taste of Depeche Mode, moody, and dark, with a synthesized texture that kind of creeps in under your skin, making your body pulsate with the music. In the other corner, we have the influences of executive producer, Ronnie Martin/Joy Electric- bouncy, bubbly, and sprinkled with random techno-squiggles. Submerged in this electronically generated music is the resonant, Brit-tinged voice of Jesse Carrigan, which easily makes it seem that Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan took some turns at the microphone. (It is especially noticeable on the title track, and "Creator.") The resulting sound is fairly well blended, although from one track to the next there is a little bit of a dichotomous quality. The obvious influences are perhaps a distraction to the musical purists, and deter a little bit from the concept of originality. But in due time, one would expect that Goodnight Star would replace these components with a sound of their own.

With an unbeatable Euro-beat, "Compu-Friend"- an ode to cybergeeks- is mesmerizing beyond words. Another song that stands out is the instantly appealing and shimmering "Lady Love," while "He is My God" - a harmonious and smooth under-cover praise song- and the hypnotic "Everyday," round out a handful of the strongest tracks on the album.

All things considered, this is a great album. In terms of true originality, "Goodnight Star" should probably only get three cows. However, for not being another Matchbox 20 rip-off band, they are still doing something fairly unique, garnering them four cows. And in terms of pure likableness, it would be easy to give them four cows as well. Averaging this all out, we get 3.66 cows, and that should be enough to convince you that this is indeed a good investment!