Search - Goo Goo Dolls :: Boy Named Goo

Angela R. (aray) from SEATTLE, WA
Reviewed on 8/27/2010...

Great CD. Every song is really good.

0 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Simply my favorite CD... ever

Ben Salk | Poughkeepsie, NY United States | 02/05/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Forgive me if I sound a little biased, but I heard Name on the radio back in '95 at the tender age of 10 (yes, I'm only 15...) and was instantly hooked. Something about it... incredibly hard to describe, but the after listening to the main acoustic riff for the first time, I just knew that 3-something minutes later, having been introduced to the world of the Goo Goo Dolls, I wouldn't listen to music quite the same way again. Then I got the CD and BAM, Long Way Down. Again, awe. Five years later, I happened to have Boy Named Goo in my CD player - still simply the best CD I have EVER listened to - and decided to hop on over to Amazon.com and see what everyone else has had to say about this experience over the past however long... glad to see that some people have similar feelings about it; the GGD's will always have a special place in my mind and heart thanks to the heartfelt emotions that are so perfectly expressed on BNG, and I just wanted to give my review with the hopes of converting some other music fans. One note: buy this or Superstar Carwash BEFORE Dizzy Up The Girl. DUTP is a good CD, but follows the Dolls' pattern of increasingly commercial, Top 40, MTV-oriented music, and I wouldn't one's first experience with such a great band to be cheapened in such a way."

I ain't the only one to say... this album rocks!

zeratul11086 | 03/26/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From loud punk rock to gorgeous acoustic ballads, the Goo Goo Dolls have always delivered great music. Their albums all have their strengths and weaknesses, and the real power of this album is its variety. The tracks here are loud and edgy enough for fans of the early days, yet they're melodic and crafty enough for fans of their newer light rock hits. There is probably more balance between hard and soft on this album (and Superstar Car Wash) than there is on the upbeat and sweet Dizzy Up the Girl or the shaky wildness of Jed. The lyrics, vocals, and instrumentals are woven tightly together in this musical masterpiece to create something powerful, enjoyable, and full of energy.



I don't know if it's evident enough for someone who hasn't heard a lot of their songs, but each of their albums is different from the others. They've covered almost everything that alternative rock has to offer, and I think that a general view of the modern world is the theme they were going for here. It's hard to describe the feelings conveyed in Goo Goo Dolls albums, but the wonderful thing about all of them is that they leave you absolutely begging for more, which, honestly, most bands nowadays don't do so well. I'm not saying that people will all be begging for more of the exact same songs, but my first GGD album was Dizzy Up the Girl and that was what made me truly want to go out and find more.



Now that I have the basics covered, I'll go over each song individually. This is mainly for more detail, but if you want to see how things are strung together in the album, it's useful to check out what people have to say about each track.



1. "Long Way Down" - Almost flawless in lyrics and sound. Very polished, complete, and it conveys a perfect mesage as both an opening track and a more relatable Goo Goo Dolls song. Great way to start off the album, bringing all of it together. 5/5



2. "Burnin' Up" - A more fast-paced song sung by Robby. The instruments all merge together well here, and Robby has the undying talent of making his single voice sound like many people in unison (without the aid of machinery). This takes all of his potential and uses it more than any of the others. 4.5/5



3. "Naked" - Beautiful song, bringing both hardcore elements and a more vulnerable feel together with deep lyrics. The main vocals have an incredibly gripping feel to them, and the ones in the background bring out an equal amount of agitation and hope. 5/5



4. "Flat Top" - Starts off slow and then the speed varies. Very catchy, and this has a very strong acoustic background as well as more fast-tempo vocals and guitar solos. The strongest point of this track is its lyrics, because they capitalize the faults of society and at the same time stick to traditional Goo Goo Dolls formula. 5/5



5. "Impersonality" - An incredibly catchy Robby song, and it seems like he mirrored "Flat Top" and adapted it to his own style. As repetitive as it sounds, it's very original and has the spread-out, echoing voice that I love. The bass playing is very strong here, too, though it sounds a little whiny towards the end. 4/5



6. "Name" - Ah, yes... "Name". A lot of people have a lot of things to say about "Name", and almost all comments are positive. Their first real hit is always a treat to listen to. This song is the single slow and steady ballad, though it has its faster moments. The vocals seem to fade in and out and are hard to hear at times, but this is a gorgeous song that is one of the brightest stars that shines among a glistening sky of Goo Goo Dolls songs. 5/5



7. "Only One" - Mostly fast all the way through, with pulsing guitars and vocals overflowing with attitude. I love the slow pause in the middle that has some soft and catchy vocals, and then it goes right back to speed. 4/5



8. "Somethin' Bad" - Not the best Robby song, but still really good. Yet again, it could be mistaken for a song with more than one singer, but that's just part of its charm. I love the echoing screams in random parts throughout the song, and it has a short but great guitar solo. 4/5



9. "Ain't That Unusual" - A very spirited Johnny track, with a lot of originality in both lyrics and overall sound. It's got a lively feel that really drags you in. I think this is actually a good hint of what's to come on Gutterflower, but that's an entirely different story! 4.5/5



10. "So Long" - I like this song, and it has great vocals and originality from Robby, but I can't see a whole lot of flair here. It's great, but not as great as his other ones. 3.5/5



11. "Eyes Wide Open" - Wow. This song is an eye-opener, (pun intended) with a mix of crunching bass and acoustic guitar work. The vocals blend into the background like they do in "Name", but they are loud enough in parts that aren't the chorus that you can hear them most of the time. Lyrics are very solid, too. 4/5



12. "Disconnected" - Originally written by the Enemies, the beginning always makes me giggle with its reinactment of a frustrating phone call. It shows the love that the Goos have for covers, and it's definitely the grungiest and loudest song here. Fans of their old music will enjoy this more than they might like the others. 4/5



13. "Slave Girl" - ANGST. But seriously, this cover of the original Lime Spiders song is great for Robby's voice and is very fun to turn up. It's also impossibly catchy and impossible to forget. Not the best the Goos have done when it comes to closing songs, but it's passable in that area and amazing everywhere else. 4/5



In short, a not too dark but still very true album that's easy to listen to made this the first breakthrough album. It's easy to see both where this band came from and where they're going for any fan of rock music. They might be popular (that's not a bad thing at all), but you can still see their originality here. It's a breath of freash air and an excellent way for them to show their true colors.



Five stars."