In their 25 plus years on the music scene, the Goo Goo Dolls have certainly come a long way from their early punk rock days. From playing the club scene in their native Buffalo, NY, to selling out arenas worldwide, they have since become mainstays of mainstream radio with over 10 million albums sold and top pop rock hits like “Name” and “Iris.” About to embark on a summer tour with Matchbox Twenty, the Goo Goo Dolls have released their tenth studio album, “Magnetic.”
“Magnetic” is a fun and upbeat record with a great overall layering of sounds. Lead singer and guitarist John Rzeznik is quite the songwriter and has brought in some real heavyweights to help on “Magnetic,” including Gregg Waterberg (Train) and Rob Cavallo (Green Day) to name a couple. The result is a solid album of eleven songs with the choruses taking center stage. The laidback feel of “Rebel Beat” kicks things off with a fun and lively chorus, just a great summer song. “Come To Me” is a powerful love song and the piano driven “Bullet Proof Angel” is a standout with a great orchestral feel. The band experiments a bit with some understated electronica on “More of You” which works very well. Bassist Robby Takac takes over lead vocals on two tracks which he also wrote, “Happiest of Days” and “Bringing On the Light.” I really enjoyed the more rock feel of these two which are a good contrast to the acousticy feel of the rest of the record. My favorite track on the album was the patriotic anthem “Last Hot Night” which is a true pop rock classic in the making with its soaring vocal and shout out chorus.
Although I prefer the edgier side of the Goo Goo Dolls circa “Superstar Car Wash,” “Magnetic” has a real celebratory feel. It seems to be a true reflection of life and where the band members currently are, which from the sound of it must be a pretty great place indeed.
