Dave Goddess Group: Something New

It’s a shame that the Dave Goddess Group decided to name its latest album Something New, since it’s one of the most derivative records I’ve heard in a while. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Goddess has one of those scratchy Bruce Springsteen-type voices, and the band does its best to mimic the urgent swagger of the E Street Band in its 1970s heyday with tunes like “Call of the Wild” and “Love Is a Mirror”. Some tunes follow a different track, though. “Sweet Miss Understanding” could be classic Tom Petty, right down to the jangly guitars. In any case, the band isn’t so much in debt to its heroes as in thrall to them, and only by breaking free does it occasionally strike a more individual note. Lead track “Something New” lays down a promise that the record fails to fulfill, while “Lucky Guy” is the best song here, a jaunty rocker that shows something the band’s potential. Overall, though, it’s hard to get away from the feeling that you’re listening to a Springsteen tribute band. Most of us would rather hear—get ready for it—something new.