Singer-songwriter and extremely talented composer Ethan Gold is back to deliver his sophomore record that will be the first in a trilogy of concept albums. The first, Earth City 1: The Longing, tackles the feelings of longing for acceptance in cities that we visit for the first time, or come back to for repeat visits. Gold described the first in the series as, “the first step of yearning that drives us inward and forward into the most profound experiences of living. Doubt, searching, and loneliness are motivating principles that bring us towards others, and they bring us towards grace.” Ethan Gold continues to find his true path forward on this record that is quite the ride.
The album opens with the breezy piano-laced song “Bright & Lonely City,” that finds Gold at his most hopeful. He sings passionately on the second verse, “I can see / The madness and the dust / And I can sense / The giddy thrill they trust,” and it becomes evident that he’s looking forward to this journey he’s setting foot on. “Alexandria & Me” follows the wishful opener with a “ghost story,” of sorts, where Gold explores the supernatural elements of a city. He explains, “Took you downtown, Alexandria / Want to see something would scare ya / It’s worse than terror, when you live without,” and his vocal approach is similar to the Irish-rock band Ash.
”Our Love is Beautiful” is a ballad that takes a stab at the darker elements of visiting these cities, and while the music remains fairly upbeat, the lyrical imagery conveyed tells a different story. On the bridge, Gold mentions, “We’ve lived out lives, like we were dying / Now we won’t ever let it go.” Through his exploration of these cities, it becomes clearer that he’s also taking notice of the relationships made with the people he meets along the way. “It’s Never Enough,” on the other hand, shows Gold when his self-doubt creeps in and takes hold of his outlook. Lyrics like “We feel so alone / Lost in the crowd / Cliched and blind / Pay no mind when they scream so loud,” are as haunting as they are beautifully tragic.
”Storm Coming” explores the mortality of living on a planet being destroyed by its inhabitants, yet Gold still keeps a steady eye on longing for a romantic relationship. He explores more of the latter on “Pretty Girls,” that has more of a Latin-flavored vibe to the mid-tempo track. He explains on one of the last verses his interactions with the opposite sex as he sings, “Pretty girls / Always look like they’re flirting / There’s something in their eyes / That makes it look so good.”
Other songs on the back half of the record include the electric-guitar based swagger of “Firefly,” a tender piano ballad in “Living Without You,” the pop guitar bliss of “Terese,” and ultimately comes to a close with the haunting “In New York.” When I last wrote about Gold’s dual-single release, I was instantly enamored with the rich layers of musical emotions Gold conveyed on those two contrasting songs, and I’m happy to share that these feelings only strengthened through listening to the rest of this LP. With so much raw emotion conveyed in the first set of this trilogy, one can only hope the music that follows is just as majestic as what’s found here.