Colman Gota - Fear The Summer

Fear The Summer, Colman Gota’s followup to last year’s impressive Tape album, once again finds the Madrid-based multi-instrumentalist delivering catchy, guitar-driven songs about navigating life and relationships. In my July 5, 2016 review of Tape, I noted Gota’s acerbic observations are reminiscent of Elvis Costello and Graham Parker, and that holds true for this new collection. The consistently fun arrangements, which also feature a variety of keyboards, fall somewhere between pub rock and power pop.

Gota’s conversational vocal style is well suited to the material, particularly when he addresses an ex-lover on the rollicking “Can I Get It Back” by singing, “I want my life back, if you happen to have it.” The energetic “Never Lie” has Gota contemplating, “Sometimes you wonder what’s on people’s minds, but if I think about it, I’d rather not know.” The title track flips the usual equation of summer with romance by giving us a guy who dreads the season because it brings back memories of a busted relationship.

Gota exudes a restless spirit throughout Fear The Summer; whether he’s rallying against robotic complacency on “Someday, I’ll Get It Right” or just being himself on “What You Want Me To Be.” There’s a satiric edge to “Make A Stand” and “One Mistake,” and Gota even throws in a torch song with “For A Reason.”