If The Beatles and Coldplay had a lovechild, they name it
Goldspot. Now, now before you get the knives out and accuse me of blasphemy, do
give them a listen and you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Goldspot is one of those bands, who you always keep nearby
to call on for good times or for comfort on those crappy days when everything
seems to be falling apart. Siddhartha Khosla’s clear, sweet voice, a broad
vocal range, and music that’s a masterfully produced pop blend of psychedelic
Beatles (think Lucy in the sky with diamonds or George Harrison after
his exposure to Indian traditional music), the endless summer sounds of the
Beach Boys, and just the right amount of Bollywood musical makes for an
infectious combination that inevitably finds me singing along every time I
listen to their songs.
Upbeat melodies and quirky, innocent lyrics—and I’m talking of
“pair of 14-year-olds holding hands in
the sun” innocent here—I’m left with a smile on my face and a little extra
bounce in my step. This is basically identical to how my body reacts to an
encounter with a little Whiskey, so I think I may have just stumbled upon a way
to brighten even the darkest day without Liver damage.
It’s probably true that Khosla went through some difficult
times while writing these songs and he pours his absolute everything into the
pieces. Images of his struggles run throughout the music and lyrics, both of
which are direct and so honest they make it impossible to feel any sense of
shame or embarrassment in hearing about his dreams, hopes, and losses or in
remembering one’s own. (I know I did)
But what sets Goldspot apart is their ability to channel
this pain into a sense of unbridled joy, I don’t know of any other band that
can have me singing lyrics like, “Oh why is this damn life so hard / We spend
out time filling the holes in our hearts,” and still feel a sense of hope and
optimism.
The songs keeps me swinging back and forth between
hard-bitten cynicism and untarnished idealism but ultimately leaves me a
believer, if not in the real possibility of untainted love then at least in the
importance of always keeping within ourselves somewhere a sense of innocence.
And that’s always a nice feeling
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