Goodbye Gadget – Because, I’m Not Myself You See – Record Review

Just from looking at the album artwork, I knew that this was going to be a very unique band. The cover art has characters and symbols from Lewis Carroll's classic tale "Alice in Wonderland" painted on around the title of the album, which is also from "Alice in Wonderland" (Because, I'm Not Myself You See).
 
The band, Goodbye Gadget, consists of Ana Isabel, Jessie Loberstein, Neil Hagge, Pave, and the bass on all the tracks is done by Johaan Hill. Although I hate to put emphasis on just one person in a band, the spotlight on this album is definitely Ana Isabel. My first impression of the sound of Goodbye Gadget was that they were very poppy, but with a blend of techno. I tried to think of who Isabel reminded me of- and then it hit me. Both vocally and artistically, Isabel has a style related to No Doubt front runner Gwen Stefani. Isabel, who wrote all six of the songs on "Because, I'm Not Myself You See", has channeled all her pain (possibly physical but no doubt emotionally) into her brutal lyrics like "I can tell its the way you watch my mouth/Grab my neck/Hurt my wrists/Push my knees" from "Sugar and Sinnamon" and in "Dealbreaker" when Isabel ponders, "Could it be an awful truth I didn't know/That I wasted all my time and there you go". The song "Missing" further elaborates on her pain with "I am running, running/You can't hear my voice say "I'm coming, coming"/...Can you find me? Can you find me?".
 
The lyrics and style of "Because, I'm Not Myself You See" connect to the theme of "Alice in Wonderland" because of the confusion and suffering that Ana Isabel has obviously had to go through, much like Alice when she entered Wonderland and had to find her way out. Thankfully, Isabel's story that is clearly told through this album is just as delightful and mind-boggling as "Alice in Wonderland".

Band MySpace: www.myspace.com/goodbyegadget

 

-Sarah K.-
Music scene reporter
Big Wheel Online Magazine