Smashed Records Reviews Goodnight Nobody
Momzer: Goodnight Nobody
A Modern American Classic!
"... this excellent album needs to be an essential part
of any serious collector or lover of intellectual American pop."
Who would have thought that Great Grandma's old upright piano could be dragged out of the attic to lead the arrangements on what I now call 'A Modern American Classic'. 'Goodnight Nobody' by Californian lads Momzer is just that. I've never heard piano so superbly recorded, especially in its full antiquity, every hammer, mallet, dampener, squeak and once intonated - now detuned harmonic are precisely captured. But piano is only part of this fine collection.
This album revolves around Glen Hirshberg's intensely personal, poetic lyrical style, his iconic vocal sound (Gaelic-tinged American accent, not unlike Brian Molko but much more masculine) and glorious piano / organ tying together a rock band of dynamic brilliance. And this album definitely rocks. I'd easily put it up there with other American classics like The Rain Parade's "Emergency Third Rail Power Trip", The Replacements' "Let It Be" and REM's "Murmur". In fact, all tracks deserve recognition or a quick mention.
The opening rhythmic guitar on 'Butterfly Pavilion' hooks you in immediately and it has this infectious but dainty piano riff in the chorus that's a killer, sort of Placebo-ish in pace and style without the electronics. 'Mum' is up next and Great Grandma's piano never rocked like this beneath intense, personal lyrics. It gradually builds to a jam of screaming guitar and menacing bass. 'Waiting for Ann Marie' wins me over instantly as it's signature is backwards guitar, giving an overall Stipe meets Rain Parade feel.
The tone in 'Declaration Day' is changed subtly with a Wurlitzer (type) piano, sharp drumming, subtle interjecting bass and chorussy-80s sounding guitar picking (not unlike late Pretenders) that all pieces together perfectly with the emotive vocal. This song could easily cause tears to well due to the lyrical beauty and tender soundscape. By track 5, 'Goodnight Nobody', I was caught up in this musical novel that's just too good to put down. At the end of the day, you're exhausted so what else do you do but start saying goodnight to inanimate objects, to the things you are meant to do and to the stresses of parenting. Almost child-like, almost nursery rhymes, charming and witty. Lyrically, it seems to challenge hope, hopelessness & disappointment. Poetry is never this good. Doh, I nearly forgot to mention the music of tender jazz inspired drumming, subtle organ & bass and a touch of the ivories.
I loved 'Henry M' when I first heard it on the Drill sampler a few months back. A great, dark pop song featuring a poignant description of terminating blindness (unless I've perceived it incorrectly). The chorus sticks in your mind ... traits of a great song. 'I May Not See Your Name Again' didn't entice me quite as much but it's still brilliant. 'Coyotes & Snakes' features clever use of stabbing tremolo on the guitar amp and more lyrical magic in its description of the south-west deserts.
Track 9 - 'Late' is slightly more funky with an apt, Tina Waymouth style bass line, kicking in and out. It swiftly rocks to an up-tempo, almost punkish anthemic ending. A clever, effortless cross-over of styles. 'Bobbleheads' - Wow! Someone's been staying up all night writing songs. Once again, great use of Great Grandma's piano leads this masterpiece. Every idiosyncrasy of the upright is brilliantly captured. Complete with chirping crickets, poetic descriptions of outdoor observations and memories in the still of the night are woven together in a haunting, chilling and emotive quilt. Are the Bobbleheads some sort of childhood demon?
As an album, Goodnight Nobody does more for piano rock that Gerry Lee Lewis, Bruce Hornsby or Ben Folds ever did. The liner notes mention that it was recorded & mixed in various home studios in San Francisco, LA and San Jose. If this is true, an album this good could cause the death of commercial studios as we know it. It's all wrapped up with very professional looking artwork, a great hidden track (11) and if I was to give this a rating out of 5 stars, the NZ flag wouldn't have enough of them.
-- Rohan Belton, Smashed Records, Australia
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