by Matt Morgan-Rawes

Created on: August 01, 2008   Last Updated: August 02, 2008

Goldfinger Hello Destiny

Destiny:-
"The predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible, course of events."

Hello Destiny is the somewhat enigmatic title of Goldfinger's sixth major studio album. Having sat down with this album and given it repeated listens, I'm still not entirely sure what the title really means. The question I want to attempt to answer is simply this: what is the destiny of this once championed pop-punk band?

For Goldfinger fans, Hello Destiny is meant to be their beloved band's inevitable return to form. Surely it isn't possible for frontman John Feldman to produce another album lacking conviction, inspiration and purpose (2005's Disconnection Notice), particularly given the return of old guitarist Charlie "it looks like a tube of cookie dough!" Paulson.

With the return of Paulson brings a return of the third wave ska sound that Goldfinger helped to popularise in 1996 (a.k.a The Summer of Ska) and subsequently abandon some two years later. Was it fated for Charlie to return and help bring ska to another generation of young music fans? Not quite. There are only two sublime tastes of ska in this album which show Goldfinger at their simple best. The first is the punk-tinged "Get Up", a ska-punk number in the style of Goldfinger classic "Answers." The music is fantastic and played at an urgent pace. Unfortunately John Feldman cannot help but inject some of his political ideology in this song as he encourages his young charges to become active in the fight for animal rights. It certainly seems destined that anyone who wants to listen to Goldfinger for a light listen is going to have to learn to put up with the self-righteous PETA-driven politics that first surfaced in 2002 album Open Your Eyes. The other ska song on this album is "The Only One", a slow calypso style ska song that showcases the singing ability of the band's guitarists. This song is essential summer listening.

As for the rest of the album, the songs are very much hit and miss. The first half of the album sees a definite return to form for Goldfinger, whereas the second half sees a definite decline in quality. Album opener "One More Time" is a blast from Goldfinger's past as the title suggests, with the band playing some of their vintage bouncy pop-punk that they perfected on Stomping Ground. Another track, "Goodbye", shows Goldfinger at their hooky best, with an up-tempo number that gallops in the verses and gives us a catchy chorus that would not have been out of place in Open Your

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