By Kevin Koeninger
“Gatsby’s American Dream”Release Date: In stores now
It may not always be pretty, but Nic Newsham can never be called dishonest. In his group’s new album, he and his band mates, collectively known as Gatsby’s American Dream, paint a decisively honest, albeit cynical portrait of the music business. Their self-titled release is truly remarkable in that it embraces a catchy, exuberant sound; all the while harshly criticizing both themselves and the business in general. “Badd Beat” is the most profound example of this incredibly appealing dichotomy, lashing out at their fans, who are apparently “so naive to think that things could change.” And while all the negativity may sometimes come off as sounding arrogant, one can’t help but admire what the band has done: create a profoundly introspective look at themselves and their profession in general, while keeping a light, self-derisive tone throughout. It’s not often that bands are willing to point out their own problems and hypocrisy, something that Gatsby’s American Dream certainly doesn’t shy away from. It’s impossible not to love the album; overrun with catchy riffs and ingenious song structures, because despite the cynicism, “if it tastes like honey / then it must be sweet.”-Kevin Koeninger
