Album Review

Fool’s Gold – Leave No Trace

• 8th Jul 2011

Fool’s Gold made their debut with an album release in 2009 and already, there are hints that the band has changed with their new album Leave No Trace ready to be released for August 2011. Back then, the L.A.-based island disco band presented themselves as a massive collective, with the membership hovering around the 12- to 15-person mark. Following a number of tours, the group have decided to thin their ranks a bit, but the band’s upcoming album proves to be no less funky.

The band themselves are described as an afrobeat band with a combination of both hooky beats and deep soul sounds, a somewhat colourful and in my case upon listening the band for the first time, I would describe their work as ‘fresh’.

Right from the get-go of the album with songs like ‘The Dive’ and ‘Wild Window’ these songs share the amazing sound of the snazzy guitar hooks and echo like vocals, will instantly have a hook on most music fans, and throughout the album, the band continues to add more hooky beats and some deep soul sounds to grab your attention even more.

When you make your way to the middle of the album with a song like ‘Narrow Sun’, the difference is noticeable between this and that of ‘The Dive’, with ‘The Dive’ being more about catchy guitar hooks and almost Phil Collin’s like vocals, ‘Narrow Sun’ then introduces you to the band’s electro-pop style that they seem to also be fairly comfortable with. The use of the synthesiser helps showcase the band’s ease at incorporating different styles of music.

The real great feat though that this album has to offer is the song ‘Street Clothes’, the song is a great example of how well this band is able to incorporate the different styles of music they love to play and perform mentioned earlier, it feels like a more focused and confident track with the various experimentation’s that the band has used on this track.

To sum up this album, I will have to go back and say what I said towards the beginning in saying that the album to me at first listening to this was indeed a ‘fresh sound’ to me. To others, this could be the same electro-pop experimentation noise that some are almost tired of hearing, but if you want a bit of ‘zing’ in these electro-pop bands, even if it’s catchy guitar hooks and deep soul sounds, then definitely check out Fool’s Gold this year.