Image Credit: Keven Gomez Jr.
Somehow The Gold Souls manage to sound like Lake Street Dive, Parliament, and Tedeschi Trucks Band all in one album. Even dipping into Nirvana territory during “The Coffee Song”, a groovy jam about that beloved cup of morning caffeine. The bass pulls this album through a winding path of genres and vibes all while keeping you engaged and thirsty for more of that “Downtown Sound”.
All recorded at their studio, Warm and Fuzzy Music in Sacramento, Calif., The Gold Souls released their sophomore album, “Downtown Sound” on October, 29th, 2021.
“I think this record is more cohesive,” said Billy D. Thompson, drummer for The Gold Souls when he thought back to their first album and how their music has changed. Thompson continued that their previous record heard them searching for their sound while “Downtown Sound” tells a story from start to finish. “We also leaned into funk more,” added lead vocalist, Juniper Waller. “We want people to be able to get up and boogie to our music, and that was definitely one of the goals of this album.”
Listeners can tell from the first track, “’94 Chevy”, that this album is meant for dance parties or cleaning the house if you need to pull a Mrs. Doubtfire and get down with the vacuum. Not only is this song a banger instrumentally, it has an engaging story which really catches your attention during the bridge when three different voices come in and tell the driver to run away from the cops. Why are they running you ask? You’ll just have to listen to find out!
The bass plays a lead role in many of the songs, mirroring the guitar riffs in songs like “Strongman” and “’94 Chevy” while taking the melodic reins in “PTO” and “Streetcall Recall”. “I feel like the bassline is one of the melodies that you remember, and you feel it in your body,” said Thompson. The bass is a force to be reckoned with in “Streetcall Recall” and will get even the biggest party pooper up on their feet. Waller screams, “You think I don’t know I’m hot?” over a beat Parliament would have been proud of. Who doesn’t love a feminist call out to cat callers while grooving to funk? The beat is constant through every song, even on the slower numbers like “Heart Curves”, a slow tune that might become the new make out jam for many listeners.
With nine beautifully crafted tunes that touch on everything from classic cars to feminism, this album will be a favorite for many years to come.
