If songwriting is the perfect way to express the feelings thrown up by the more impactful events in your life, a way of talking about yourself via quickly penned and cleverly poised lyrical strokes, then few rising songwriters are as adept at it as Eli Golden.
From the Desk Of…is a sonic account of three years in his life, which, in his own words, has seen him go “through four relationships, had my heart broken two times, had three epiphanies, [and] shed a surprising amount of tears for someone who doesn’t like to cry.”
Well, they say you should write about what you know, and while this is an album of songs garnered from life experienced firsthand, a personal document, it is also relatable. It is music that discusses relationships and breakups, love, loss, longing, and life, honestly told and openly laid bare.
“piece of me” is an upbeat, acoustic pop piece about the emotional high of first encounters, and “oona” is effusive, effervescent, and groovesome; as modern pop goes, the only thing missing is the correct use of capitalization regarding a proper noun, but I think that we can let that slide.
And even when dealing with darker and more reflective thoughts, the music is still accessible, contagious even, “not bitter” being a seductive ballad seeking silver linings and “worst nightmare” wandering between the atmospheric and the anthemic as it discusses unwanted attention.
Eli Golden is a name better known via TV, and they say that the transition from one art form to another isn’t always easy, but with From the Desk Of, he has slipped seamlessly into the world of the singer-songwriter. This is clearly a man of many artistic disciplines.