AM Gold: AM Gold

Although it isn’t their debut, in many ways this self-titled album from AM Gold feels like a new beginning. Previously releasing a trio of albums and couple of EPs under the same band name, Aaron Magram (he’ll be the AM then) worked as a one-man project, but with the addition of Dana Fasano on drums, percussion and vocals, to Magram’s vocals, guitars, bass and keyboards, AM Gold have doubled their number and as of 2022 begun life all over again. The nine tracks presented here are the results and, it has to be said, they arrive without any hint of them coming from just a duo. The guitar sound is full, the ‘rhythm section’ is locked in tight and the vocals full of vim and vigour.

“Word Of God� is a mighty introduction, thundering with a riff fuelled intent that melds doom, metal and psych into something Sabbath melded with Blue Oyster Cult might have done back in the early days, although with an admittedly more polite production. From there, if there’s an issue, it’s maybe a lack of focus on the overall intention. I’m not suggesting that any outfit should ‘stay in their lane’, but following up with a smooth Sugar like semi-acoustic number wasn’t what was anticipated, but “Tell Me� is good nonetheless, highlighting the melodies at this band’s disposal and Magram’s engaging voice. From there “About Me� spins around and heads back into riff-totting territory, while “Use Your Delusions I� (yes, there’s also a “Use Your Delusions II�… hiya Axl!) sits atop a keyboard line and more controlled vocal, which, while all good, for me sucks the momentum out of proceedings. Unfortunately, that’s the impression that kind of rotates in place from there, “Unicorn Tears� another pre-grunge like clean guitar piece that slams into a howling slice of hard hitting rock halfway through, while “@Amazon�, which as its name suggests is an anti-ode to the great marketplace in the sky and the season of buying, seems much more happy to smoothly ride along on some more BOC like happy guitars. For “Unto You� to then bop along in an almost energetic country rock vein and “Sleight Of Hand� to strum and hum for just over half of its six minutes, before bursting out into a soaring guitar workout, feels like maybe one left turn too many, before “Use Your Delusions II� closes things out with a reprise that I’m not sure we really asked for.

I feel like I’m being harsh on AM Gold. There are some really - and I do mean REALLY - great moments across this album. However, for me, the second half of proceedings tails away in a manner that makes me hanker to get back to the songs that opened things out. I can undoubtedly see me coming back to the likes of the excellent “Word Of God� and “Tell Me’ on a regular basis, but in terms of a full listening album experience, things are allowed to slip out of focus just a little too often.

Track Listing
1. Word Of God
2. Tell Me
3. About Me
4. Use Your Delusions I
5. Unicorn Tears
6. @Amazon
7. Unto You
8. Sleight Of Hand
9. Use Your Delusions II

Added: September 23rd 2024
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: AM Gold @ bandcamp
Hits: 235
Language: english

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