Goose – Everything Must Go

Goose is a New England jam band that follows the tradition of the Grateful Dead, Phish, Dave Matthews Band, etc. They are known for their (from the band’s website):

“…genre-blending sound, improvisational live performances, and dedicated fan base. Their music — a deft union of indie-rock hooks, sprawling improvisation, and driving rhythm — has propelled them from performing in Connecticut basements to headlining some of the most revered stages in the country.”

When I listen to the band, I hear jazz, classic rock, prog rock, funk, folk rock, and pop elements. Their songs are well-arranged and expertly played, yet there is playfulness. They are a four-piece band: Rick Mitarotonda (vocals, guitar), Peter Anspach (vocals, keys, guitar), Trevor Weekz (bass), and Cotter Ellis (drums). Generally, their songs are weighted toward the instrumental side, but they typically have vocals; it is just that the instrumental aspect of their songs is more memorable. Their vocals and lyrics are pleasant, but they are the weak link here.

In a previous Goose album review, I said, “Most jam bands favor the groove, but Goose favors the melody—they play songs!”  On Everything Must Go, the band has doubled down on the hooks, producing their most pop-sounding album thus far. This pop-oriented sound works well for them. This does not sound like a sell-out, but the band’s natural evolution. I equate it to when Genesis went from prog to pop in the early 80s – from my perspective, Genesis was even better when they went pop. Goose has never sounded better. I love that they have augmented some of the songs with horns. Again, from the Goose’s website:

“Everything Must Go marks the band’s evolution since its inception in 2014. Drawing from the feel of its live performances, the album features a carnivalesque cast of characters — primarily songs written throughout the band’s recent years of growth, including re-imagined live staples and songs that capture the band’s evolving, dynamic sound.”

I have seen the band live a few times and can attest to their greatness as a live act. But unlike many jam bands that thrive only live, Goose is also a brilliant studio band. Their recordings are Steely Dan slick—in a good way. Everything Must Go is the slickest yet. Again, I don’t see this as a sell-out but an example of their growth as musicians, composers, arrangers, and studio rats.

As you can see by the tracklist below, the album is front-loaded with singles, but the second half is just as good. Although it is a long album—just over an hour and a half—it never drags. If you are not ready to commit to the whole album, I recommend these two singles: “Your Direction,” which shows off their pop chops, and “Thatch,” which highlights their jam band side.

I really liked the band’s last album, Dripfield. Everything Must Go is not a departure from that sound but a perfection of that sound. It will be on my best of 2025 list!

I have been listening to the digital stream (24-bit/96 kHz FLAC via Tidal), which sounds great. I recently picked up a vinyl copy of the album from Wax Trax Records in Denver (Capitol Hill location). Wax Trax is a well-stocked independent record store. It has a large and diverse inventory of LPs. Per thier website, they have three locations.

The vinyl edition of Everything Must Go is a nice, clean pressing. My version is 180-gram magenta vinyl. It sounds slightly warmer than the high-resolution stream. The packaging is high quality, and the LPs are in audiophile quality sleaves.

Tracklist:

1. Everything Must Go
2. Give It Time – first single
3. Dustin Hoffman
4. Your Direction – third single and in a different era, would be a radio hit
5. Thatch – forth single
6. Lead Up – second single
7. Animal
8. Red Bird
9. Atlas Dogs
10. California Magic
11. Feel It Now
12. Iguana Song
13. Silver Rising
14. How It Ends