Fourth Time’s A Charm
With your parents being two of the most celebrated songwriters in music history (Carole King and Gerry Goffin), I suppose it’s only natural to follow in their footsteps.
Surrounded by music her entire life, Louise Goffin started learning piano very early in her childhood and eventually began to write her own songs. By the late 70’s, she released her debut album, Kid Blue at the young age of 16. Inevitably however, comparisons to her mother left the album with only a lukewarm reception, despite Goffin being so young at the time of its recording.
A sophomore album was released a couple of years later, but met with similar results and Goffin wouldn’t resurface with new material until 1988’s This Is The Place.
But it wasn’t until fourteen years later that Goffin would re-emerge with her fourth album, Sometimes A Circle. Armed with strong pop sound and a perfectly ripened voice, Goffin can finally boast an album that has all the goods.
What’s nice about Sometimes A Circle is Goffin’s willingness to experiment. The songs found here are well-polished, but not enough to spoil the songwriting. And Goffin’s usage of muffled sound effects and filtered noise add enough quirk to lift these tracks to a higher level and cause immediate appeal.
‘Instant Photo,’ is one of the many instantly infectious tracks to be found here, employing these said quirks and a strong chorus which will demand repeat listens. And Goffin’s distinctive voice provides a cozy and sexy tinge to ‘What A Waste Of A Perfectly Good Hotel Room,’ a delicious ode to being lovesick.
Fix my hair for an instant photo
Two for me and two for you
Fix my sights on a big tomorrow
When I get out of the rat race.
– Louise Goffin
‘More Of It,’ is a new song by Goffin which I presume will be included in her follow-up to Sometimes A Circle. It continues with Goffin’s experimental pop sound which at this point, is definitely a winning ingredient.
Since 2000, Goffin seems to have rejuvenated her music career. Besides her most recent album, she can also be heard every week during the opening credits of Gilmore Girls, where she and her mother have recorded King’s ‘Where You Lead I Will Follow.’
And while it is perhaps unfortunate that Goffin will never be able to fully separate herself from her famous parents in the eyes of the public, it’s nice to know she’s got a talent that is completely her own.
Downloads:
Instant Photo
What A Waste Of A Perfectly Good Hotel Room
More Of It
Where You Lead I Will Follow (with Carole King)
WWW:
Louise Goffin - official site
Thanks so much for these songs! Louise is, indeed, a talent in her own right. Great to see her spotlighted here!
Thanks for getting this on your site and in my ears. I bought the CD and am enjoying every song.
and yet another great discovery! I’d never heard of her before, and have listened to her exclusively for the past 2 days!
I think Louise always suffered Carole-backlash, right from the start. Who’s this rich-kid to do punky songs like “Jimmy and the Tough Kids” (her Kid Blue lp). And now? With the Fiona Apples and the rest, she may seem more like a pretender looking to copy what’s commercially successful. Who knows. “Quiet Anesthesia” on her last album was absolutely eerie (saved as the last cut). The rest, very, VERY good. I’ve known of Goffin for years. Wish more did. PS, thanks for Ebba Forsberg & Jill Tracy and others I didn’t know about.
Yup. Louise is getting better
she aint as good as her Ma..sorry..she just sounds like a million other chicks trying to get famous…maybe it will grow on me but it didnt jingle my expresso…
louise’s voice is beautifully unique and doesn’t sound like a million other chicks. that last comment is so ignorant… her “ma” had one big record 35 years ago and hasn’t sold records since. everyone still compares carole to a record from several generations ago. louise has nothing to do with that, and has never tried to mimic her mother’s stylings or career path. “sometimes a circle” is one of the best records of the last 5 years.