David & Goliat is a band from Sweden that is led by David Billström. Back in May of last year the band released an eight-song self-titled album David & Goliat. There were a mix of flavors and styles on this album. On that note the songs felt straightforward once I had an idea of the sort of classic sound they were going for.
“Beauty's Only Skin Deep” is the opening track and certainly has the right energy to get your attention. This song actually felt like classic Americana to me in the spirit of John Mellencamp or Tom Petty. The lyrics and sort of warm nostalgia and embrace really seemed to be the emotional center of the song. “Heart Of Stone” is next and I loved the beginning instrumental work which reminded me of the band Pulp. The song is more subdued than the opener and more melancholy. I thought this vibe worked very well for his vocal inflection. The chorus is also very familiar sounding and was instantly catchy the first time I heard it. “Lovers On The Run” was motivational yet also dark sounding to me. There was this '80s vibe going with this song and that had to do with the choice of reverb, the use of synths and even the sound of the lead guitar. I was really not expecting “From Now” because it sounded very different in style. It’s more of a country/folk ballad. There are some really nice vocal harmonies and the song brings back Bob Dylan nostalgia when the harmonica comes out. “You Reap Just What You Sow” is a huge sound. I’m a sucker for overly happy and celebratory music and this song pulls it off. In fact this is the arguable highlight in the batch. He sort of rolls with the upbeat vibe on “Blissful Ignorance.” We go into ballad mode with “In This Together” which felt like a B-side from The Beatles. There was a sense of familiarity with the chord structure and even the lyrics and vocals. He closes with an intimate “Our Love's On The Line '' which sounded like a counterpart to “From Now.” My only critique is this album felt like a couple different artists. For instance on “From Now” and on “Our Loves On the Line” you can hear a noticeable affectation where he leans into the archetype of the pained folk/country artist. On other songs that affectation is not found. This album felt like a display of the band’s versatility. I do admit I’d be interested in hearing them hammer down on a signature and singular sound in the future. I thought this was a really good album all things considered. The songwriting, delivery and production was top notch and there were some individual songs which I felt were exceptional. Recommended.
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