SOPHS - Goldstar

Rough Trade Records' new rising stars. A sextet made in the USA fronted by singer Ethan Ramon, Sophs managed to catch the attention of the famous British label by sending demos directly, without ever having played a single live show up to that point. Their sound, which at first glance, in its highlights and refrains, may partly recall Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and that whole early-2000s pop-rock/pop-punk contingent that over the years has become widely accepted – think of later artists such as The 1975, Yungblud and co. – here accompanies a portrayal of today's youth's self-destructive tendencies. “Goldstar”, in fact, refers to the validation we seek from others, an object of desire that has by now been more or less internalized by most of society, and for which many would go to any lengths.

Each song rather openly shows the influences it draws from, without however limiting itself to the basic sonic palette outlined above, repeatedly folding in blues, country and other sounds from around the world (the band has stated, for instance, that they listened to a lot of Slavic music while writing the album, along with Tom Waits and Bright Eyes) in a kind of collage. A further sign that one needs to look beyond first impressions, rather than stopping at the surface, is the surrealist homage on the album cover to Magritte's “La riproduzione vietata”, a canvas dated 1937.

The (effective) opening of the ball hovers between the sparse verses' swaying rhythm and the dramatic explosions of the chorus on “The Dog Dies In The End”, before giving way to the flamenco intro of “Goldstar”, a track whose mood leads into a completely reworked take on Scorpions's “Humanity”, until it meets the scattered keyboard chimes of the pseudo-ballad “Blitzed Again”. The introductory beats of “Sweat” leave you momentarily disoriented, flowing into a light ballad driven by guitar flourishes, while the electric riffs closing out “House” recall Aerosmith, giving way to the playful Delta blues and country mix of “Sweetiepie”.

One of the most interesting lyrics in terms of concept (as well as the most personal for Ramon) is that of “Death In The Family”, an inward-looking analysis exploring his relationship with feelings like frustration and shame, followed by the subtly dark, Waits-like vibes of “A Sympathetic Person”, the blatant tribute to ZZ Top and the like of “They Told Me Jump, I Said How High”, and the closing choruses and sing-alongs of “I’m Your Fiend”.

“Goldstar” is a record that aims to be mainstream and mainly highlights the project's versatility in terms of influences, without however fully hitting the mark on the first try (or winning you over on first listen). That said, with a bit more seasoning, it seems all but certain that Sophs have what it takes to attract a decent audience in the future.

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22/03/2026