Understandably, Goo Goo Dolls listeners have been pining for the band to return to its early sound, much of it reflecting life’s ongoing struggles and challenges. But, hey, at least their lyrics always rhymed. This dilution of the band’s strengths may have been exacerbated by the decisions of outside producers. Technological advancements in the music industry may well have been, and likely were, a major factor in the band’s deviation emphasis was placed on editing music rather than creating it. For a while, it seemed as if the alternative rock band was venturing into “pop rock,” or even worse, the dreaded genre of “pop.” The Goo Goo Dolls, best known for their 1998 smash hit “Iris,” have strayed from their early sound in their last three releases, spanning 2013-19. It was about time for the band to revisit its roots. The power of rock, which drove the band’s mid-’90s takeoff, has returned. The band has reconnected with its garage band origins, which put them on the map (or rather, on the radio) in 1995. Thankfully, the Goo Goo Dolls were as good as their word. It would capture how the troupe sounded in its early days. This would be the first album in 20 years that the band had produced themselves, and it would be far less beholden to the slick influence of today’s electronic production tactics. In their prerelease teasers, the band made it clear that their upcoming album would feature a more unfiltered, natural sound.

Some faithful followers were not surprised. While upholding their usual habits - ambiguous lyrics, tracks that contrast fast, slow, soft, and loud songs, and bassist Robby Takac featured as a vocalist on two of them - the Goo Goo Dolls have a few surprises up their sleeve(s), and that made their newest music, well, rock (in every sense). It is even more reassuring that, after nearly four decades, the Goo Goo Dolls are breaking new ground.Īfter two years in isolation, many agonizing months of waiting, and numerous false alarms about its release, Chaos in Bloom, the Goo Goo Dolls’ 14th album has finally made its debut. It is always heartening for an album to live up to its much-anticipated buildup.

Breaking the quiet 3 with sound