On their latest single ‘Your Soul Is Sold’ Cute Goldfish take a decisive, aggressive turn, making it their heaviest sonic evolution to date. Shedding some of the indie pop textures of past, this Northampton trio has turned in a blistering assault of punk infused hard rock in the vein of The Offspring and Muse.
A jarring, robotic intro, cobbled up from an old school voice emulator announces the track’s intent pronto, as an introduction to this onslaught. The furious backbone is supplied by Steve Smith’s drums which detonate with relentless, thunderous precision. Stuart Smith’s lead vocals snarl with a newfound, biting aggression, cutting to the front of the mix and sweet, falsetto harmonies laid cleverly atop the verses unexpectedly haunt.
The rebellion is guitar driven. Thick, punishing riffs surge with the urgency of Sum 41 or early Foo Fighters—Stuart Smith and Kev Garner unleash them. First, the track’s undeniable centerpiece arrives mid song, a seismic bass detuning launches cavernous weight, then a scorching guitar solo. It’s a masterclass in controlled fury, showcasing Muse inspired finger tapping theatrics and raw unbridled shredding.
The production is massive but clear, recorded at The Lodge in Northampton and the resulting record remains aggro but retains that visceral impact. Thematically, Your Soul Is Sold rings powerfully. Siding against social pressure to conform, it is excessive sonically in the refusal to ‘sell out.’ The sheer velocity, the detuned drop, the layered vocals – as weapons against compromise.
It’s more than their hardest hitting track, ‘Your Soul Is Sold’ is a statement. Cute Goldfish can do complexity and weight alongside melody and that’s what it shows as they confidently expand their palette. A potent blast of modern rock rebellion, it’s a potent, expertly crafted blast.
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