The Goo Goo Dolls’ Chaos In Bloom is a great reminder to appreciate and fight for what you have and love.
The Goo Goo Dolls are an American rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, by guitarist/vocalist John Rzeznik, bassist/vocalist Robby Takac, and drummer George Tutuska. Mike Malinin was a part of the group from 1994 to 2013 but was allegedly fired because he wanted to take paternity leave to be with his newborn twins. The band member Robby Takac met John Rzeznik in Buffalo through the Beaumonts band, and together they found their drummer George Tutuska. They then started a band called the Sex Maggots but later changed it to the Goo Goo Dolls after a club owner refused to use their old name on his marquee. The name Goo Goo Dolls derives from a True Detective ad for a toy called a Goo Goo Doll. Their first album was named after their band, Goo Goo Dolls, and was released in 1987. The group received mainstream success after the 1995 release of their single “Name,” although their biggest hit is “Iris,” which was released a few years later in 1998. Chaos in Bloom was released in 2022, consisting of 10 songs, and is their 18th studio album.
The album feels very nostalgic because it reminds me of early 2000’s hits, which is very interesting to hear twenty years after. It’s refreshing to hear real instruments because of the constant use of heavy techno beats and autotune in mainstream music.
The songs I enjoy the most on this album are “Yeah, I Like You” and “Going Crazy.” “Yeah, I Like You” is about being in love with the wrong person because they are toxic and not suitable for you. This is very relatable because so many people have fallen, or have almost fallen into, bad relationships with people who were either no good from the start or got worse over time. The guitar introduction, followed by drums, was very straightforward, which is great for getting right into the song instead of losing the listener’s attention. The vocal quality is so excellent that it sounds like a live show. Pausing at specific parts of the song with no vocals and just the instrumentals is beneficial in absorbing the content and jamming out to the beats.
“Going Crazy” is about what the title states; someone doing too much of the same thing drives them mad, and trying to find a way out of it all. The two more intricate chords coming in and out of the song on the guitar and the single tap of the drums are consistent with the vocals and create an intense yet exciting rhythm. The slower beats leading into the faster-paced ones indicate the insanity suddenly worsening throughout the song. It reminds me that during the pandemic, everyone must have felt a breaking point of near insanity at certain times as they were isolated from friends and family for an extended period.
This album feels very nostalgic to me, as it reminds me of many songs I grew up listening to on the radio and in movies. The lack of electronic elements gives each song a raw feel, making them more original and nicer to listen to.
