Franklin Gotham - Good Times Bad Times

​Franklin Gotham

Good Times Bad Times
self-released; 2025

​By ​Dino DiMuro

Apparently Franklin Gotham has been rocking the indie world since 2013, so I feel like a total idiot believing he’s a man. Nope: it’s a three-person group from Alexandria, Virginia featuring Kevin Adkins, Jarrett Nicolay and Christopher Spelch along with various guests. The band has just released their ninth EP (gathering five of their recent tracks) titled Good Times Bad Times. 

Intended for young, college-age listeners, the music is designed to have “a cool edge and indie vibes, perfect for those seeking a soundtrack for their most memorable moments.” The band describe themselves as “a sonic cocktail of pop-infused indie grit and folk-rock charm, blending 80’s synth nostalgia with raw, emotional storytelling.” Influences include Vampire Weekend, Tom Waits, Death Cab for Cutie and Wilco, and stretch back even further to Joe Jackson, The Replacements and Elvis Costello. 

The set opens with the poppy, upbeat “Like A Guitar” which was recently released as a single on Bandcamp. Like lots of men, I’ve always been aware of the similarity between the body of a woman and a fine acoustic guitar, and the song’s central idea begins with the stellar cover art. However the lyrics cleverly subvert this idea to describe the narrator being “played like an old pawn shop guitar, warped by the sun in the car.” This is an unapologetically mainstream pop rock track with excellent production and inventive arrangements. Guests include Summer Drake and Brittany Jean Valint (backing vocals), Erik Estenson (guitar) and Jeff Orenstein (keys).

“Caroline” was released just a month before the opening track, and if anything is an even better example of the band’s unique sound and wild production. Thematically they describe the track as “…delving into the depths of obsession, painting a portrait of a woman who becomes the focal point of a twisted romance… the essence of a love that burns brightly but leaves behind unresolved emotions and unfulfilled longing.” Musically the track switches between Americana-like strumming and overdriven fuzz guitar rock, with friendly, hometown vocals. Toward the end there’s a cool part where the guitar and piano tracks are purposely “distressed” like an old cassette.

“Life in a Northern Town” is a cover of the 1980’s Dream Academy Hit. I’m not familiar with the original but this track is clearly something special, with the core group backed by winsome strings and orchestral percussion. The jangle quotient is very high, with vocals mixed on top that are as tight as flypaper. I got a shock toward the end as the track segues into the Cyndi Lauper song “Time After Time” (for which there’s no credit anywhere) which has the same effect as suddenly hearing a favorite song at a live show. “Needles Won’t Sew” is exclusive to this release and is a mysterious spook house-spy movie hybrid with a trebly, unsteady lead guitar line and highly processed vocals; honestly a bit sharp for my ears.  “Star Words” is a very funny collaboration with DJ Remedy that combines Rap-Hip Hop beats with a telephone recording and Star Wars samples, all diced and scratched into a lively musical chow. Very different but a great way to go out!

These songs all had a fresh, new sound for me, despite being grounded in well-traveled genres. Recommended without hesitation!

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