In finding new artists, it often takes some digging. Luckily there are sites such as BandCamp that make this endless search a little easier. It was here that Golden BC can be found, with a new release of a 5 song EP simply titled Golden BC - Sampler
Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Golden BC is a single man show. Brian Offredi plays all instruments on the album, commits all the vocals, writes all the songs, and does all the promotion. The interesting thing here is it appears these songs are recorded with mostly live instruments, making Golden BC stand out by not exploiting beat packs and other silly electronic drum tricks.
The voice here is the standout instrument. Brian's vocals are reminiscent of a low, methadone-induced gothic moaning whisper. At times sparse with desperation, at other times quiet with urgency, the vocals are the story teller on each of the five songs presented in Sampler. This is not to say the guitar work is not quite good as well. The percussion is, well, simple, but as there is one person doing all the playing, we can let that slide a bit.
With an EP of this size it's easy to mention every song. The record kicks off with "Afraid to Wake Up", a seeming call out to the life of staying high and letting that be a shield to living up to one's potential. This may have been recorded a bit more hastily than the other songs on the EP, it seems rushed and a bit less polished than the others. It was a rough song to start with, perhaps a bit of a gamble. "I'm Not the One You Want" seems to showcase more of what Golden BC should be known for. Understated instrumentation and a vocal line that showcases the pain of love wanted but perceived as not good enough. This theme carries over to the next track, "Maria", which is a bit of a lazy slog pinpointing the best and worse of a relationship. "Don't Ever Bet Against A Man On His Way Out" is a Louisiana pub owners dream. A down home stomper that tells of how a person can't lose when there is nothing left to lose. The final track, "Memories Lie", is probably the best produced of the EP, from a sound perspective. It breaks away from some of the desperation in the previous three songs. Unfortunately, leaving that pocket takes away from the feel of the songs overall and perhaps the middle three show the strength of Golden BC.
After a full run through, the best parts of the music are the three songs in the middle. These seem most representative of what should be "Sampled" from Golden BC and it would be good to look forward to more songs along those lines.
Where to find Golden BC
- Bandcamp(free download)
- Golden BC website
RIYL: Mazzy Star, City and Colour, Geron Hoy
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