If you are a huge fan of Joy Electric and you find that you just can't get enough of that sugary keyboard pop sound, then your prayers have been answered. There are enough synthesizer whistles, pops and bleeps here to make any computer nerd jump for joy.
This music feels so strongly influenced by Mario Brothers games that the average listener may well find themselves reaching for the joystick. Granted, there are a handful of people who really do find this cutsey Mickey Mouse Club theme music entertaining, and no doubt many listeners into the ultra-pop spectrum of electronica will find the album extremely entertaining. But this sort of music is an acquired taste, even if you call yourself a fan of electronic music, and this is far from the best of releases in the genre.
Produced by Ronnie Martin, there are really no departures on this recording from the typical Joy Electric sound or song style. I don't know if it's Ronnie's heavy hand in the production of the album that makes this band sound exactly like Joy Electric or if the boys in Goodnight Star are just such huge fans that they, intentionally or not, rip off their main influence. Whatever the reason, the result is still that the average person will just not hear any difference at all between this album and practically any release from Joy Electric.
Lyrically, the band is very outspoken about their faith and musically, they do stray down the darker path now and again. But the effect created is like taking a walk through a misty garden at midnight under a full moon while Chip and Dale chatter away behind the bushes. Somehow these two themes don't mesh very well. Hopefully, future releases from Martin's own Plastiq Musiq will not all sound just like Joy Electric.
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Other coverage for this album
Opus 2000Reviewed by Nolan ShigleyI'm incredibly appreciative of Tooth & Nail's new division, Plastiq Musiq, which was created by Ronnie Martin (Joy Electric). But the synth-pop it releases may have been a tad bit too influenced by Martin. It was somewhat evident on House of Wires' new material, but is strongly evident on Goodnight Star's debut. As a matter of fact, it closely resembles House of Wires and every other early '80s…Bandoppler 1999Reviewed by Sucré Musique"Goodnight Star" is a little bit of a paradigm of contradictions. In one corner, we have a taste of Depeche Mode, moody, and dark, with a synthesized texture that kind of creeps in under your skin, making your body pulsate with the music. In the other corner, we have the influences of executive producer, Ronnie Martin/Joy Electric- bouncy, bubbly, and sprinkled with random techno-squiggles.…Similar sounding releases
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