So we've all heard Iris a million times, so we're all so sick of it if we ever hear that song again we'll explode. So what? The fact of the matter is that this album is a solid 52 minutes of nice, simple, and deceptively complex power-pop rock.
After the success of 'Name' the Goo Goo Dolls completed their revamp of their musical style with this album. Although the thrashy guitars and raspy vocals of previous offerings such as 'Superstar Carwash' and 'A Boy Named Goo' aren't gone completely, this album offers a whole new side to the Buffalo trio. So here's the review
1. Dizzy - A decen't opener, opend with a nice sliding bass/guitar riff with some throbbing delayed guitar in the background. The verses are relatively weak and forgettable but the chorus is very nicely done with some well layered vocals and decent lyrics. The Bridge is a very nice touch with a nice arpeggiated guitar and a slide solo before building up to the final chorus. 3/5
2. Slide - Another one we all know, and for a good reason, it's a great song. Catchy guitar riff on the intro and well layered guitars throughout. this is one of those songs that really shows off Johhnys love of open tunings and it helps the guitars to sound full and warm for this fuzzy power-ballad. A catchy chorus, catchy bridge with catchy verses makes for a likeable, catchy song. Thankfully it didn't receive the heavy airplay of Iris so it's held up well. 4/5
3. Broadway - Yet another one of the singles off this album, not as good as slide although has a similar sound and the open tunings and layering of acoustic and electric guitars is used well again. The lyrics are solid and paint a picture of a bar on broadway filled with washed up performers. The lyrics really are the highlight of this song but the little solo wedged in there is cool to. Overall slightly better than slide IMO but only just. 4.2/5
4. January Friend - As most Goo Goo Dolls fans will know, songs written by Robby Takak tend to be weaker and are primarily fillers. And this one is no different. Not terrible, just a simple, forgettable song. Robby's vocals do nothing to help the situation, his forced rasping can just get very annoying which is confusing because I've heard him sing clean back-up vocals :-S. The one redeeming feature of this song is the guitar solo, and it's a tiny one. 2.5/5
5. Black Balloon - Highlight of the album, plain and simple. I would be surprised if the Goos ever wrote a song as beautifully emotional and big sounding as this. that really is the only way to describe it, big. A nice harmonic intro leads into a crisp acoustic guitar in a gorgeous open tuning and slowly builds up to adding drums bass and a splash of electric guitar. The drums keep ticking over, the bass is full and warm, the guitars are crisp and clear and Johnny's vocals work beautifully. the chorus is a real tear jerker and the bridge is simply pop-rock genius. Finishes with the same harmonic riff used for the intro. the lyrics in this song are also standout, emotionally, metaphorical and sad, perfect for this strng swathed ballad. 5/5
6. Bulletproof - One of the slightly punkier songs using electric guitars and a nice rumbling bass sound. the intro gives a good gauge of the rest of the song, guitar driven and emotional. the verses are softer and almost whispered by Rzeznik and wrk well into the chorus which is not dissimilar to the chorus of Dizzy. used as a Filler Track but actually a decent song. 3.5/5
7. Amigone - Another Takak written song, this one however, unlike January Friend manages to hold up well as a song. Nice Guitar Driven intro, nice drumming tight bass and for once Takaks vocals seem less forced and more natural and it works. Also Robby seems to have churned out some lyrics that are more expressive than his usual output. Not bad, but not great. 3/5
8. All Eyes On Me - The intro is very Broadway-like but the song continues as a much sadder song. Clean electric guitars, steady drum beat and a full warm bass sound in the verse enhance the mood set by johnny's soft vocals and build up to a big chorus with louder distorted guitars and a nice touch of strings all making this song sadder. A screaming simple guitar solo leading into a big outro make this another standout. 4/5
9. Oh no here comes robby again. And it's not one of his best efforts. Average Lyrics, an annoying throbbing bass sound in the louder parts with an average verse make for a painfully average song. This is genuine filler material. 1.5/5
10. Acoustic #3 - Don't understand the title, but it's an awesome song. The lyrics are beautiful and seem to tell the tale of a young girl lost in the world. Just an Acoustic guitar and strings make for another Johnny Rzeznik tear-jerker. Although it's only short (only 1:58) it still does all the work of a much longer song. 4.5/5
11. Iris - Well here it is, the Ballad of the millenium lol. Emotional, smokey acoustic verses with a powerfull driving chorus. A genuinely sad song with genuinely sad lyrics. Another beautiful open tuning from Rzeznik and the same bass sound from Black Balloon make the two sound very similar, slightly different lyrical subject and heavier use of the strings. An awesome bridge with a great slide solo just caps this song off as one of the most powerful power-ballads ever churned out. If you feel sick of it, just don't listen to it for a while, then give it a spin, it retains all of it's magic. 4.9/5 (only just pipped by Black Balloon for best song on the album)
12. Extra Pale - Right from the start you can hear this is a different sort of song, another Robby Takak penned filler, but a better one. Slightly darker feel and it just keep ticking over. Nicely guitar driven and for once Takaks vocals really work. 3/5
13. Hate This Place - A Great way to finish off this awesome album. Warm distorted electric guitars give way to a slightly softer verse with more great vocals from Johnny Rzeznik. The verses give way to a truly awesome bridge and another big chorus full of long notes and simply riffing electric guitars. A cool little breakdown in the middle with more layered electric guitars before going back to the chorus and then a ripping solo from Johnny to cap off a truly awesome pop-rock album.
4.5/5
Really this is the best Goo Goo Dolls Album, not as loud as Superstar Carwash, not as arty as Gutterflower. But a nice balance of the two, a must have for any pop-rock fan. If it didn't have those low scoring fillers from Takak on there, it'd be almost perfect. 4.5/5
