GOODING – The Return

Gooding takes his cues from all the right artists. His sound varies from a electro-pop fusion like MGMT, to alt-rock cuts from early Foo Fighters, to the layered instrumentals of Keane. The problem is every track from the faux-metal opener “Make the Devil Cry” to the epic closing “Animals All” lands with the same impact as a water balloon hitting a tank. Nothing leaves a mark; every song comes across as a diet version of its influences. The Return never builds a flow and keeps the listener in the same groove of brilliantly layered instruments in varying style from electro-pop to alt-rock to Top 40 pop guided through by earnest vocals that deliver lyrics ranging in depth from a puddle to a kiddie swimming pool. In other words, the MTV kids will embrace Gooding and The Return as a new heart-warmer. The rest of us will be better off leaving him on the shelf.

(S3 Records, no address provided)