Tom Goss
Back to Love Independent

by Curt Hauff
Staff Writer

Comments: Tom Goss' new album Back to Love is a pleasant, mellow audio journey through love. It has a Rocky Mountain high feel to it, meaning it reminds you of Colorado, not John Denver. Goss hails from Washington D.C., which makes the comparison interesting if nothing else.

"Forty Years" opens the album. It's a bouncy, feel good track and has a nice tempo for an opener. Goss then slows it down with "Back to Arkansas" and "Till the End". Both tracks are nice to listen to and neither would qualify as the standard ballad, but both have a slower tempo and softer feel.

"Take Me On" is a catchy track. It's upbeat, which certainly helps. The chorus is simple, repeating "Take me on, yeah on, you take me on…" a few times. The track ends with the chorus while the music fades out. What you're left with is a gang style vocal with some primitive background percussion. It's very cool.

"Down the Mountainside" is a solid song. It's catchy and even features a tasty guitar solo, with a nice tone. "Break Away" and "Separate Peace" are also two strong contenders for best song of the album.

Tom's voice is full and memorable. His range is somewhat limited, which is noticeable as you listen to the album in its entirety. Of course, sometimes we're limited by what we're given at birth. In this instance, there isn't anything Tom may be able to do about it, short of hiring out the vocals.

Track Listing:
1. Forty Years
2. Back to Arkansas
3. Till the End
4. Take Me on
5. Sometimes we fail
6. Break away
7. Down the Mountainside
8. Lover
9. Separate Peace
10. O'Love
11. Legacy of You

Hardrock Haven rating: 6.8/10