Jack Goldstein showcases the most expansive and ambitious side of his unique psychedelic country on new album HELLFIRE BUMPER STICKER COWPUNCHING JEWBOY
Always an artist who has championed creativity and authenticity above all else, Jack Goldstein is a prolific and entirely one-of-a-kind UK artist who’s distinctive appeal is often inspired by personal experiences, with his stellar 2022 album the š is ending and i ā¤ uĀ written in the wake of him losing both of his parents during the COVID-19 lockdowns and the grief and just sheer weirdness that those times evoked in so many. His new albumĀ HELLFIRE BUMPER STICKER COWPUNCHING JEWBOY is one that feels like a continuation of this narrative, trying to find catharsis and liberation in turning this grief into strength, amplifying the creativity and sheer ambition and scope of his sound in order to share a message of love and hope amidst all of the loss.
The album opens with ‘lonesome dove/HELLFIRE 2’, an introduction to the odyssey that we are about to embark on that has a really thoughtful country-pop feel to it, pairing thoughtful lyrics with dual vocals that come together to make for a generally harmonious and charming listening experience. The track immediately showcases the artist’s ability to tow the line between his songs being both catchy and weird, with the repeated refrain of “hellfire” towards the end making for a really oddly heartening and uplifting moment.
Some of Jack’s more straight-laced country tendencies continue to shine through on the effortlessly charming ‘BUCKLE UP’, a banjo-inflected track that feels like it was made to have you bobbing your head and smiling along to Jack’s uplifting lyrics and the good vibes and energy that flows through it. At just over seven minutes long, the track has a really ambitious feel to it as it progresses, with some of the artist’s more experimental tendencies creeping their way in in the latter half of the track. This ensures that regardless of its length, the track never outstays its welcome or grows tiresome, and the little quirks and unexpected moments keep you feeling captivated right to the end.
Far and away the catchiest and most melodically memorable track that Jack Goldstein has ever crafted is ‘MUD MICE’, a track we have already championed on this site and fallen in love with ever since it came out back in May. Inspired by half-dust, half-flesh creatures from Jewish folklore and carrying this fantastical theme into the sound itself, the huge drum kicks and psychedelic-tinged production make for a sound that wouldn’t feel out of place on some of MGMT’s more ambitious and creative work, crafting the impossible marriage of catchiness and avant-garde, impeccably detailed eccentricity.
Jack keeps things weird but pushes it into an entirely different direction on ‘CATTLE DRIVE’, a track that feels like a stylish take on modern country-rap but without the usual over-produced and soulless feel that usually comes with it (sorry Morgan Wallen). There is an almost spoken word feel to the vocals here and the mixture of ambient sounds and more driven, attention grabbing moments makes for a track that really stands out even on an album with scope and range such as this.
The intense instrumentation of ‘xila maria river red’ makes for a really atmospheric listening experience that personally had me really excited to see where he was going to take the track, and once it opened up to the vocals and the thoughtful lyrics surrounding themes like unfulfillment, stardom and sadness, it made for a track that leaves a really impression on you regardless of its short length in the context of the album.
The sixth track and undoubted centrepiece of the album is its title track. 12 and a half minutes long, sprawling, packed full of creativity and unafraid to delve into abrasive and daring territory, it is truly an experience that needs to be sat with and explored in order to feel the full power and impact of it. There is something of a stripped-back feel to the track but what the artist does is create a potent atmospheric tension never that relents or lets up, feeling like it sticks to you and follows you around through the odyssey, almost distracting you from the narrative-heavy nature of it like an unwelcome guest.
The artist’s more tender side is showcased on ‘milking blood’, a track that sees Jack utilising a catchy and charming sound to mask some of his more sociopolitical and on-the-nose messaging, carving out a light and expansive pop aesthetic that feels fun and colourful while he contemplates the senseless destruction of mankind in potent and precise fashion. As the track descends into chaos and Jack showcases even more of his creative and expansive capabilities, it serves as yet another reminder of how his tracks can veer from one path onto another without feeling jarring or distracting.
The album closes out with ‘shain gandee’, a track that reinforces the sense of compassion and strength that has shone through throughout the album regardless of how absurd and ambitious things have got. The softness of the sound and introspective feel of the lyrics feels like a fitting end to the album, as thoughtful and moving as the rest of the album has been expansive and dynamic, bringing together a collection of tracks that have been about unity, resilience and hope with a message that reinforces all of these ideas with an optimistic and charming glow.
