''Goliath'' is the sixth studio album by
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commerci ...
singer
Steve Taylor, and his first with the group
Steve Taylor & The Perfect Foil, consisting of Taylor,
Peter Furler
Peter Andrew Furler (born 8 September 1966) is an Australian musician, songwriter, producer and music executive, record executive, best known as the co-founder and former lead vocalist of the Christian rock band Newsboys.
Biography
Furler was ...
,
Jimmy Abegg
Jimmy Abegg (born December 29, 1954), also known as Jimmy A, is an American musician who grew up in Alliance, Nebraska and is currently living in Nashville, Tennessee.
In 1985, Abegg was a founding member of the progressive rock band Vector (ban ...
and
John Mark Painter
John Mark Painter (born c. 1967) is an American multi-instrumental musician, composer and arranger. He is best known for his role, with his wife, singer Fleming McWilliams, in the rock duo, Fleming and John.
Painter grew up in Miami, and beg ...
. It was released by Splint Entertainment on November 18, 2014 and marks his first studio release since 1993's ''
Squint
Squinting is the action of looking at something with partially closed eyes.
Squinting is most often practiced by people who suffer from refractive errors of the eye who either do not have or are not using their glasses. Squinting helps momentari ...
''.
Background
Steve Taylor previously released the studio album ''
Squint
Squinting is the action of looking at something with partially closed eyes.
Squinting is most often practiced by people who suffer from refractive errors of the eye who either do not have or are not using their glasses. Squinting helps momentari ...
'' in 1993, after the breakup of his band
Chagall Guevara
Chagall Guevara is an American rock band formed in 1989 by solo artist Steve Taylor, guitarists Dave Perkins and Lynn Nichols (from the 1970s Phil Keaggy band), bassist Wade Jaynes, and drummer Mike Mead.
The band was named after Communist rev ...
, which enjoyed limited commercial success despite critical praise. Following ''Squint'', Taylor retired from recording music as a solo artist, pursuing a career as a filmmaker, songwriter, and record producer. In 2010, Taylor started recording music again. In 2011, Peter Furler, former member of
Newsboys
Newsboys (sometimes stylised as newsboys) are a Christian rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia, by Peter Furler and George Perdikis. Now based in Nashville, Tennessee, the band has released 17 studio albums, 6 of which ...
, a band for which Taylor has produced and written, revealed in an interview that he, Taylor, Jimmy Abegg and John Mark Painter had started recording for a new project by Taylor. At that time, the band was still unnamed, and referred to itself as "Steve Taylor and Some Other Band". Under this name, the four artists appeared together on the song "Closer" from Furler's solo album ''
On Fire''. "A Life Preserved" was first heard on the soundtrack of the film ''
Blue Like Jazz
''Blue Like Jazz'' is the second book by Donald Miller. This semi-autobiographical work, subtitled "Non-Religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality," is a collection of essays and personal reflections chronicling the author's growing understan ...
'' which Steve Taylor produced, wrote and directed.
Reception
Reviews for the album were effusive with praise
with Popdose.com calling it "one of the best albums of the year."
Fred Mills, writing for ''
Blurt Magazine
''Blurt'' is a music print magazine and online outlet originally based in Silver Spring, MD. The magazine was originally known as ''Harp Magazine'' for over 10 years, also based in Silver Spring, and was considered one of the best music magaz ...
'', rewarding the project four stars out of five possible, lauds Taylor as "Sounding as if he's aged not one hour, he strides across the rock & roll arena every bit as vibrant on ''Goliath'' as in his prime."
Imparting upon the album a five star rating, ''
CCM Magazine
''CCM Magazine'' is a twice-monthly online magazine focusing on contemporary Christian music, published by Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications.
History
''CCM'' was first published in July 1978, as a printed magazine. It has be ...
s Andy Argyrakis, expresses "Even though it been 21 years since Steve Taylor's last solo album, he more than makes up for lost time with a searing collection of witty yet inspiring alt-rockers."
For Jesus Freak Hideout, Bert Gangl awards the release four and a half stars surmising, "once these trifling arguments are laid to rest, what listeners are left with is quite simply a riveting, superbly-crafted work that, when it's all said and done, might just be Taylor's finest effort to date."
In a four star rating, New Release Tuesday's Mary Nikkel implores, "This album will satisfy longtime Christian alternative rock supporters and pique the interest of a new generation longing for a little musical diversity."
Bert Saraco, commenting for ''The Phantom Tollbooth'' in a four and a half clocks review, extolling "Steve Taylor and The Perfect Foil have unveiled ''Goliath'' to the world, and it's lived up to its legend."
Music videos
Music videos were released for four of the tracks: "Only a Ride" which used footage from the trailer of the cult film
Stunt Rock by
Brian Trenchard-Smith
Brian Medwin Trenchard-Smith (born 1946) is an English-Australian filmmaker and author, known for his idiosyncratic and satirical low-budget genre films. His filmography covers action, science fiction, martial arts, dystopian fiction, comedy, ...
, "Standing In Line", which consists entirely of footage from
Jerzy Skolimowski
Jerzy Skolimowski (, born 5 May 1938) is a Polish film director, screenwriter, dramatist and actor. A graduate of the prestigious National Film School in Łódź, Skolimowski has directed more than twenty films since his 1960 début ''Oko wyk ...
's ''
The Departure
The Departure was an English rock band from Northampton, formed in October 2003. Their debut album, '' Dirty Words'', was released 13 June 2005 by Parlophone. A second album, ''Inventions'', was expected to be released in early 2008, but was no ...
'', an animated video for the title track "Goliath", and "Moonshot".
Vinyl and cassette
''Goliaths initial pressing was released in 2015 by
Sounds Familyre Records in several different vinyl hues: transparent red (for kickstarter backers only), violet, pink, transparent green, transparent orange and transparent yellow. The album was also released on cassette tape in red, yellow, and "Splint blue".
Track listing
All tracks lyrics by Steve Taylor, music by Steve Taylor and the Perfect Foil
# "Only a Ride" – 2:23
# "Double Negative" – 3:37
# "Goliath" – 2:49
# "Moonshot" – 2:57
# "Rubberneck" – 2:49
# "The Sympathy Vote" – 2:53
# "Standing In Line" – 3:55
# "In Layers" – 3:51
# "Happy Go Lazy" – 3:34
# "A Life Preserved" – 4:06
# "Comedian" – 6:25
The deluxe edition, released in March 2015, includes three additional tracks:
# "Am I in Sync? (Missing Link Version)" – 3:35
# "Foils On 45" – 5:12
# "Goliath: A Conversation with Donald Miller & Steve Taylor (Plus Secret Hidden Track)" – 15:28
Personnel
*
Jimmy Abegg
Jimmy Abegg (born December 29, 1954), also known as Jimmy A, is an American musician who grew up in Alliance, Nebraska and is currently living in Nashville, Tennessee.
In 1985, Abegg was a founding member of the progressive rock band Vector (ban ...
- guitars, background vocals
*
Peter Furler
Peter Andrew Furler (born 8 September 1966) is an Australian musician, songwriter, producer and music executive, record executive, best known as the co-founder and former lead vocalist of the Christian rock band Newsboys.
Biography
Furler was ...
- drums, background vocals
*
John Mark Painter
John Mark Painter (born c. 1967) is an American multi-instrumental musician, composer and arranger. He is best known for his role, with his wife, singer Fleming McWilliams, in the rock duo, Fleming and John.
Painter grew up in Miami, and beg ...
- bass, cello, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, French horn, trumpet and anything else laying around, background vocals
*
Steve Taylor - vocals, one hand piano
*
Danny Seim
Lackthereof is the solo project of Danny Seim, a founding member of the Portland, Oregon-based band Menomena.
History
The first six Lackthereof albums were recorded at home and given out to Seim's friends on cassettes and CD-R's. In 2005, FI ...
- additional keyboard flourishes, miscellaneous wizardry
* Lori Chaffer - guest vocals on "Comedian"
*
Fleming McWilliams - guest vocals on "Goliath"
* Luke Yang - vibes
* Stephen Parolini: jenga
* Brendan Jones: breathalyzer
* Sam Sacco: zeitgeist
* Phillip Holmes: turbinado
* Tim and Val Hudson: vodaphone
* Steve Kellner: condoleeza
Production notes
* Produced by Steve Taylor & The Perfect Foil
* Co-produced and mixed by
Danny Seim
Lackthereof is the solo project of Danny Seim, a founding member of the Portland, Oregon-based band Menomena.
History
The first six Lackthereof albums were recorded at home and given out to Seim's friends on cassettes and CD-R's. In 2005, FI ...
* Executive Producers: Larry & Nancy VanArendonk, Martin Turner,
Rick Law
Rick Law (born December 15, 1969) is an American entertainment illustrator and producer, best known for his career with The Walt Disney Company. His work has spanned across all forms of popular entertainment media: films, TV, music, theme park ...
, Richard Bickersteth
* Mastered by
Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering
* Recorded by
John Mark Painter
John Mark Painter (born c. 1967) is an American multi-instrumental musician, composer and arranger. He is best known for his role, with his wife, singer Fleming McWilliams, in the rock duo, Fleming and John.
Painter grew up in Miami, and beg ...
at IHOF studio except
Danny Seim
Lackthereof is the solo project of Danny Seim, a founding member of the Portland, Oregon-based band Menomena.
History
The first six Lackthereof albums were recorded at home and given out to Seim's friends on cassettes and CD-R's. In 2005, FI ...
overdubs recorded by
Danny Seim
Lackthereof is the solo project of Danny Seim, a founding member of the Portland, Oregon-based band Menomena.
History
The first six Lackthereof albums were recorded at home and given out to Seim's friends on cassettes and CD-R's. In 2005, FI ...
* Photography by Frank Ockenfels III
* Album design by
Jimmy Abegg
Jimmy Abegg (born December 29, 1954), also known as Jimmy A, is an American musician who grew up in Alliance, Nebraska and is currently living in Nashville, Tennessee.
In 1985, Abegg was a founding member of the progressive rock band Vector (ban ...
* Insert illustration by Buddy Jackson
References
External links
Steve Taylor & The Perfect FoilPress page on Shorefire.com
{{Authority control
Goliath_(Steve_Taylor_album)
Steve Taylor albums