GoldmineDecember 18, 1998 | Issue 480 THE GOO GOO DOLLS Not to put too fine a line upon it, but the Goo Goo Dolls have a hard time being themselves. Burdened for a decade by sounding a lot like, even too much like, their inspiraiional heroes the Replacements (in both lead Goo Johnny Rzeznik's singing and writing endeavors, as well as the trios pop-on-a-collision-course-with-post-punk musical assault), the Goos tried to bust out of that stigma this past summer with "Iris," a huge, string-laden soundtrack-derived ballad that went way beyond the Mats' (serious lack of) ambition. Too bad it sounded an awful lot like Billy Joels "Piano Man." Oh, well. Their return to more familiar pop-punk territory on their sixth album, Dizzy Up the Girl, is balanced by a cue they take from "Iris"' (which is included here) mega-mainstream success: Orchestral swells drift in and out many of the songs, and the radio-ready pop treatment is pushed on overload throughout. But it isn't entirely without its past blemishes/influences. Writing Paul Westerberg-type lines like "See the young man sitting/In the old man's bar/Waiting for his turn to die" certainly doesn't help Rzeznik's case any nor does letting bassist Robby Takac sing and write several of Girls (inferior and decidedly more punky) tunes (shades of Bob/Tommy Stinson placating, anyone?). Still, there's a catchy likability to the Goos' best songs. Their breakthrough song from a few years back, "Name," was the big hit single that Westerberg never had (and deservedly so; it's the Goos' most shining moment), and the most endearing songs on Girl - "Slide," particularly, and "Iris," despite its 25-year-old hook - mesh Top 40 acumen with sly post-punk attitude. Even if they occasionally do ring with an uncomfortable familiarity. Michael Gallucci |