Goose – BIG MODERN!

For a jam band, Goose makes great studio albums. With each release, their studio craftsmanship gets better. It may be recency bias, but I think BIG MODERN! is their best studio album. It has an 80s vibe – Goose as a jam band version of yacht rock. There is a reason their concerts are increasingly in bigger venues – including two nights at MSG. What I like about Goose is that they have catchy melodies rather than just jam-band noodling. They can be jazzy and proggy, but they stay grounded in songs unafraid to be pop.

I recently listened to a long-form interview with Goose frontman and primary songwriter, Rick Mitarotonda, and he talked about his struggles with anxiety and the stresses of leading a successful band in our crazy times. The lyrics on this album appear to be about that. Although Mitarotonda draws on his specific experiences, the emotions he conveys are universal, so I find the lyrics relatable. The album is almost a concept album on digital overload and overstimulation.

Goose has always played around with grammar in their album and song titles: all caps, all lowercase, proper case, and especially parentheses. On BIG MODERN! they take this to an extreme. I didn’t know what to make of this, and so I asked Google Gemini (AI), and I got an interesting answer:

Historically, Goose uses parentheses to denote interludes, ambient transitions, or companion tracks that follow a main song. On BIG MODERN!, tracks like (you are here), (faena), and (again) act as lowercase, instrumental or melodic palate cleansers between the massive, uppercase pop-rock anthems like POP and SALT. What makes BIG MODERN! unique is that the parentheses literally escalate as the album progresses into its deeper themes of tech-burnout, paranoia, and isolation:

• Single parentheses: (you are here), (faena), (again)
• Double parentheses: ((savengersspell)), ((nocturne))
• Triple parentheses: (((postplace)))

This layered nesting mirrors the feeling of being buried inside digital sub-menus, algorithmic loops, or deep mental echo chambers. As you move from the single parenthesis down to the triple-nested closing track (((postplace)))the music physically retreats from the loud, “neon” energy of the main tracks into a quiet, chamber-pop solace—essentially burying itself away from the overstimulated modern world.

I am going to go side by side and track by track. I have consumed this album both through streaming (24-bit/96 kHz FLAC; it is also available via Atmos, but I don’t have equipment to listen to it that way) and on vinyl.

Side A

The album opens with a short Pink Floyd-like instrumental intro: “(begin).” This is the perfect setup for the titular track “Big Modern!” which has a Dire Straits “Money For Nothing” feel. Lyrically, the song addresses the overstimulation of our times. The music is a perfect foundation for this idea.

“Savenger” reminds me of Phil Collins solo work. Lyrically, it is a story about transformation, danger, and self‑reinvention. It seamlessly transitions into “(you are here),” which reminds me of Bruce Hornsby. Which in turn slides into “((savengersspell))” which invokes the Pat Metheny Group. The three cuts are a cohesive suite.

Side B

“Good2B” is a joyful celebration of a comeback from a period of physical and emotional burnout. Again, I am reminded of Phil Collins’ 80s hit-making.

“MEDIA” reminds me of Thomas Dolby’s “She Blinded Me With Science.” The song is a juxtaposition with the previous song, which spoke of “felicity,” which is joy, peace, and emotional clarity. The song is a juxtaposition with the previous song, which spoke of “felicity,” which is joy, peace, and emotional clarity. “MEDIA” is the opposite: noise, distortion, and overstimulation.

Things slow down and “Torero” returns to a Pink Floyd vibe. Our hero is feeling like a bullfighter: alone yet the center of attention. The song transitions into an instrumental: “(faena)” which has a Latin jazz vibe – it reminds me of the Al DiMeola era Return To Forever.

Side C

“POP” is not pop music or dad, but an emotional explosion – like a balloon popping. Musically, this is a heavy rock song with a bit of prog.

“SALT” is an epic rock song. It will sound great in an arena. It has a heartland rock vibe. Lyrically, it seems to be trying to resolve the previous themes.

Side D

The final side opens with “(again),” an instrumental that sets up “Good Times // End Times,” a proggy song that explores the juxtaposition of joy and dread. It then segues into “((nocturne)),” which is mostly instrumental, with a brief vocal at the end.

The album ends with the mellow “(((postplace)))” – after all the stress that the songs have discussed, our protagonist finds a calm place.

Music critic Steven Hyden has a Five Album Test: an artist or group releases five consecutive albums, each ranging from very good to flat-out excellent. Many artists have five good to excellent albums over their career, but very few string five together consecutively. For example, Stevie Wonder did it during his “classic period,” from 1972 to 1976, when he released a streak of five great albums (and three absolute masterpieces):

• Music of My Mind (1972)
• Talking Book (1972) – masterpiece
• Innervisions (1973) – masterpiece
• Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974)
• Songs in the Key of Life (1976) – masterpiece

BIG MODERN! is Goose’s fourth excellent studio album in a row – they are one away from a five-album run!