Magic through his storytelling
Marlon Rabenreither aka Gold Star has a way with confusing his listeners to the point where they don’t know what era of music they might be hearing but they honestly don’t care because the music is timeless. Born in Austria and currently living in the LA area, Rabenreither began his solo career in 2013 and has made waves in the indie music field since. Following the release of his 2017 LP Big Blue, Uppers & Downers is a dive into the world of song diversity. By going through different moods and eras, the album truly goes up and down with each passing song.
The 12-track album starts with a track titled “Crooked Teeth” which helps the album get off the ground with a soothing, soft rock ballad sound paired with Rabenreither’s vocals that explain how the journey of this album is just starting. “Half The Time” and “Baby Face” both follow in the footsteps of the first track offering the listener classic indie rock sounds. In the two more somber tracks on the album, title track “Uppers & Downers” explores the pursuit of happiness with the help of a soft humming organ accompaniment, and “Chinatown” helps with the loss of a loved one with the sound of strumming guitars in the background. “Dani’s In Love” combines everything that makes music come to life: toe-tapping melodies and sing-a-long lyrics that everyone can relate to. An instantly likable track, “Get It Together (C’mon)” puts Rabenreither’s storytelling to the test. With heavy drums, guitars and guiding vocals, the song brings the album to a conclusion big enough for fireworks.
Each song based on going through, preparing for or getting over heartbreak or pain of some sort brings so much emotion on every level to anyone listening. Each track on Gold Star’s third LP is narrated by wanderers of time, each with their own stories and tales, and was made for anyone who needs a calming voice of reason in their life. An album made for redemption and a coming to peace, Uppers & Downers combines sounds from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. What starts as a travel through time ends up being the therapy we all needed.
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