Princess Goes - Come Of Age (2023) Hi-Res

Princess Goes are back on the scene with an exceptional album that recalls the heady days of the new wave scene where The Human League, OMD, ABC, Depeche Mode and numerous keyboard leading bands ran rampant in the UK. These guys are totally up to scratch with their own modern take on that scene says Wayne AF Carey…

After shortening their name from Princess Goes To The Butterfly Museum for some reason which I’ll find out about in a few weeks, the dynamic trio are back with their second album and it’s chock full of anthems. Their debut passed me by as I’ve always been a bit dubious around famous actors fronting bands. This is not the case here after a few listens. Take a long standing funny bastard who’s played the best fictional serial killer ever, the keyboard player from Blondie and the drummer from The Wallflowers and you get a top as fuck mix of accomplished music you can’t argue with.

Opening track Offering is a futuristic track that has all the hallmarks of Joe Oxley’s TVAM. A blistering techno stomper with cinematic sound flowing throughout. A cracking opener. Let It Go is classic 80’s electro pop with a massive chorus and some great melody that has all the blueprints of the greatest soundtrack of that period. Catchy as hell and Hall’s vocals are great flowing throughout with some samples from some films or other that I’m not that much of a nerd to bother finding out about. Blur is a dark noir number with the lyrics “At best I’m but a blur, if you remember me at all” It’s powerful stuff led by the amazing keyboards from Matt Katz-Bohen who knows a thing or three about performance.

Come Of Age is a pure piece of majesty with Hall’s lyrics commanding the song. It’s got The Killers written all over it, yet to me it shits all over their back catalogue in one foul swoop. A gem of a tune that commands you to listen again and again. Shimmer is just great. A great simple bass line starting procedures with the great vocals from Hall kicking in like Kerr from Simple Minds eating a couple of Locketts to rejuvenate his chords. Jetpack is one of my highlights on this. It’s straight off Bowie’s Blackstar, which is quite ironic seeing Bowie actually requested Hall to play him in Lazarus before he passed. A strong song that goes all Pink Floyd at one point yet melds back into dark Bowie territory with a mental uplifting break that uplifts the whole song with a mad howl.

Glasswing is pure 80’s inspired and is a slow paced electronic piece that shimmers with some great bass and keyboards that hold everything together to create some slick shit. Take Me Home is a psychedelic beast that introduces a slamming piece of guitar which sways the whole album from what you’ve witnessed already. It builds into this big noise that thrills the ears then gently beds you down onto a comfy mattress before ending with an abrupt blast. Beija is the best song that U2 never written which I’m informed is about a Liverpool artist who supported them on their last tour. You can hear the listening habits from this intrepid trio throughout this one. It’s a modern classic without the pompous bollocks from Bono and some great guitars and shimmering keyboards from the full unit as a whole. Also tick Simple Minds on that box if you must! A cracking tune.

Saving Grace is a trip hop style tune with Hall going all dulcet backed by a warped keyboard piece that sounds underwater with a snorkel on. He croons and then does falsetto and shows off the vocal range he commands. A little belter of a song to me. Whatever Whispers goes a bit Paul Simon Gracelands on our arses here. A funky as fuck beat with some Moroder style keyboards and more mental psychedelic shit which harks back to a futuristic Floyd again mixed with the soundtrack to Tron. Closing track Floating chills right the fuck out for a warm departure from this excellent trio who know a thing or two about writing anthems. A lovely end to an interesting album full of gems that will cross over to any audience, whatever your choice of music…