If you’re are not yet familiar with Tobias Jesso Jr., he was member of the critically acclaimed indie band Girls before it disbanded in July 2012. Soon after the break-up, Jesso reached out to producer Chet “JR” White (Cass McCombs, Sonny and the Sunsets) and moved to San Francisco to work on his solo debut, Goon. In addition to White, Jesso also collaborated with Patrick Carney (The Black Keys) and Ariel Rechtshaid. Goon is filled with 12 beautifully polished piano driven ballads sung in a tenor and adorned with vintage studio flourishes. Thematically, the collection touches on heartbreak, disillusionment, loss of direction, and hopelessness. While Jesso has drawn comparisons from the likes of Harry Nilsson to John Lennon, Goon could easily be mistaken for 70’s AM radio. Despite the similarities, the album showcases an admirable range, including the following highlights: the mid-tempo psych-tinted “Crocodile Tears”; the lost-love lament “Leaving L.A.”; the revamped demo “Just a Dream”; the first single “Hollywood”; and the heartbreaker “How Could You Babe.” Goon is an excellent beginning for this talented new musician’s career, and I think Goon will be on many top albums of 2015 lists. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | Girls, Harry Nilsson,
John Lennon, Randy Newman