Formed by ex-The Devil’s Blood guitarist Thomas Sciarone, Gold offer an amalgam of classic/pop rock Americana that sadly loses something in translation.
With singer and co-writer Milena Eva, Thomas conjures the wide-lapelled, flare-wearing ghosts of a thousand 70s relics of whom Fleetwood Mac, Heart and Pat Benatar are probably the least worst. His skill is undeniable, and Interbellum features some stellar guitar work, but his penchant for writing unusual yet often unmemorable riffs causes repeated misfires.
When it works – Antebellum and Love, The Magician – it works well, the band pulling in one direction. When it doesn’t – the embarrassingly bad Gone Under – or when it’s merely pleasant but forgettable – Dreams, North, Medicine Man i.e. most of the album – it’s the sound of a whole lot of talent treading water. Eva – whose lyrics cover every cliché in the book – has a powerful voice, but it’s erratic, adding to a puzzle with a couple of pieces still missing. Tight performances, punchy production, but missing that old black magic.
