
Tobias Jesso Jr. – Goon
The narrative of heartbreak and desperation that runs through the debut album of Canadian artist Tobias Jesso Jr. has been countlessly explored by numerous singer-songwriter types who strive to craft a universal sentiment from their internal struggles. It’s worth mentioning that the series of events leading to the period where Jesso Jr. wrote these songs included a heavy breakup, being hit by a car on his bike, and learning his mother had cancer before returning to his childhood home. The compelling sounds found on Goon are nothing ground-breaking, as the instrumentation includes piano, drums, with the occasional strings and a few guitar-led tracks, yet their earnest nature coupled with the singer’s wary delivery make for a refreshing listen. Obvious comparisons to classic songwriters like John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Randy Newman, and Harry Nillson have been made and their influence can easily be heard on the album’s opener “Can’t Stop Thinking[...]