Spencer Goldman’s single, “Breakthrough,” begins with a catchy electric guitar riff. It’s a little pop-punk, musically, although Goldman’s voice is in the upper range and much purer than your typical punk rock lead vocal. It’s a quick, passionate rock song.
Goldman starts by expressing confusion. “I’m trying/To figure it out/But you’re lying with somebody else,” he explains. The song’s title, “Breakthrough,” seems to be more about what Goldman hopes for, rather than what he’s experiencing right now. He wants to break through all the confusion, to get to where he can figure out what’s actually happening in his relationship. The song’s last words are, “Here tonight you got my head turned upside down.” Sadly, Goldman hasn’t figured it all out by song’s end. The song finishes with Goldman basically in the same place where he started. Confused.
With a few included curse words, it’s obvious Goldman is upset about what’s going on. He, at one point sings, “Maybe we should slow down,” which makes sense. When a relationship is this confusing, it feels like things are moving much too fast, but this guy can’t tell exactly what direction it’s going. Oddly enough, though, this track where Goldman asks to slow things down, actually goes pretty fast. It’s as though his mind says one thing, but his body says quite the opposite.
Goldman also expresses feeling depressed. All of the confusion has left his emotions in a whirl. How does a guy process so much relational change? This track will appeal to those that appreciate music with
plenty of energy, but don’t necessarily want music to strictly be dance beats. Instead, they want music with motion that prominently features electric guitar. It is very much a pop song, but also equally a rock
song. In fact, it’s a little of each, as it holds appeal for both rockers and pop music fans.
There are different electric guitar colors employed in the mix. The opening riff is high and quick, but then it goes into a chunky chord pattern, which is continued the rest of the way through. What does a guy do when his lover’s behavior doesn’t make sense? Granted, guys oftentimes have difficulty fully understanding women. It’s probably been this way since the beginning of time.
One wonders how this girl is going to respond to Goldman’s questioning. Will she realize that she’s sending confusing signals? Or will she just feel like this guy is just too dense to completely understand her? Goldman is taking a chance in being this honest. Guys are supposed to be the strong silent types, after all. Women are usually the ones who are overly emotional. Her reaction is extremely important. If this is relationship set for the long run, she’ll take Goldman’s confusion seriously and help him work through it. If not, this might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for Goldman. We’re not privy to the outcome; all we can see is Goldman’s emotive reaction. Who knows, maybe this girl will be impressed with Goldman’s vulnerability.
Whatever happens, “Breakthrough” is a catchy, melodic rocker that delves into familiar romantic territory. It’s as sincere as it is rocking.
-Dan MacIntosh