Tom Goss: ‘Remember What It Feels Like’ Review
A collection of bright, bite-sized songs, 'Remember What It Feels Like' is tailor-made to make a listener grin from ear to ear.
If you only know of Tom Goss in passing, it’s probably from the wildly popular 2013 single “Bears,” his toe-tapping love letter to large, furry men. On a completely different note, you might also know him from his 2016 cover of “Son of a Preacher Man,” a heartbreaking gay reimagining of the Dusty Springfield classic.
It takes a special kind of artist to be an icon for bears and sad twinks alike, but anyone who is familiar with Goss’ wider work, or who has seen his live shows can tell you he is so much more than a viral hit machine. He has brought the same sense of playfulness and ear for a catchy melody to his ninth studio album.
A collection of bright, bite-sized songs, Remember What It Feels Like (★★★★☆) is mostly upbeat pop, with the occasional heartfelt ballad thrown in for good measure. It’s a fundamentally lighthearted album, frontloaded with largely acoustically-driven tracks, some of which are playful and others lightly plaintive. Almost all are seemingly tailor-made to make a listener grin from ear to ear.
If the first few tracks are where Goss grounds himself and tells his own story, the latter half of the album is where he seems to be having the most fun. Synths and elements of rock and a bit of vocoder creep into tracks like “Undercover Summer” and the pop-rock throwback “Break Your Heart,” which promises hell in a tongue-in-cheek way to a prospective lover if he is ever wronged.
As much as he goes out of his way to keep things light, Goss can’t help but find himself in a reflective mood this time around, and several of the tracks reflect on where he’s been and where he is now.
He is starry-eyed on “Everything” as he expresses his wonder and amazement at having found love. He is also very capable of turning his gaze inward, as he does on “Enemy of Good,” which ruminates on perfectionism and the ways it tends to sabotage creativity, productivity, and simple human joy.
As far as he has come, though, he does not lose sight of the fact that there’s a lot of life to be lived still, and a wide-eyed optimism suffuses tracks like “First Date,” which almost perfectly captures the innocent joy and trepidation of a budding would-be relationship. Platonic love also gets its due on “Cleopatra,” a boppy, heart-melting duet with his friend and collaborator de ROCHE, all about that special brand of mutual adoration and admiration that only exists between close friends.
For all the positivity, Goss does allow himself to indulge in a bit of well-earned pettiness. “Not My Problem” captures the satisfaction of having moved on from someone who you knew was bad for you — with several especially pointed lyrics that hint at Goss’ own brushes with infidelity. The frustration and disappointment that’s often felt in a freshly-failed relationship also gets aired on “Literally,” a fun little earworm of a breakup track. Even here, though, Goss maintains his sunny state of mind. The hurt may be real, but it’s past him (or will be soon).
Goss’ easygoing approach is a simple one that pays off beautifully. In a way, Remember What It Feels Like is a perfect album for the height of summer.
It’s breezy and fun, sure, but also incredibly joyful and earnest in a way that comes off as authentic. With assists from collaborators like Maya La Maya, Deven Green, and Anne Reburn, who all seem as delighted to work with him as he is to be singing the songs, the album is a joy to listen to from beginning to end.
Remember What It Feels Like is now available to stream and purchase. Visit www.tomgossmusic.com.
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