EP Review: In The Red // Goldfish Smarts
For fans of Paul Kelly and Midnight Oil, Australian six-piece Goldfish Smarts has a sound that is genre-bending. Incorporating elements of blues, country and folk, the lads hold true to folk inspiration wrapped in a bluesy blanket of music. Featured in The Other Side Reviews, Less Than 1000 Followers, Indie Shark, Amnplify and iHeart Radio, Goldfish Smarts are reaching audiences across the globe. The latest addition to their well-received discography is In The Red.
This is my introduction to Goldfish Smarts, but the lads have been releasing music since 2018 (or so it seems on Spotify). Since their debut single ‘Let Me Sleep’, we can hear an evolution of their sound to a more honed, sophisticated blending of genres. In In The Red, the group demonstrate their eclecticism and innovative versatility with each of the six tracks having a unique sound. From the first to the last track, we can see (or rather hear) heavy hard-hitting tunes to lighter toe-tapping songs.
Opening with ‘Cigarettes, Playingcards, Boardwax, Superstars’, Goldfish Smarts blast through your speakers with high-powered rock. The pounding drums meld elegantly with the dynamic guitars and gruff vocals to slap you in the face with the melodic arrangement. What I truly enjoy is the bluesy harmonica interspersed in the arrangement highlighting the band’s unique design. This obscurity remains through ‘Downtime at Moonlight’ but with a strong country influence leading the melody.
Moving from an upbeat ‘Downtime at Moonlight’, we have ‘What’s That All About’. What I find intriguing about this track is the movement from soft, soothing melodies and vocals to a rougher, gruffer tone. The versatility in this tune is awesome and demonstrates the sophistication of Goldfish Smarts.
Sophistication, elegance and obscurity is the name of the game as In The Red ends with the powerful ‘Stuck’, ‘Happy When It Rains’ and ‘Smells Like Wine’. Each single (and I mean all six of them) show Goldfish Smarts’ appreciation for music, merging different styles and creating something completely distinctive. I had not heard of Goldfish Smarts before this, but I am definitely keeping an eye out for future material.