CHARLESTON, WV – The Mountain State’s vibrant music landscape continues to churn out compelling acts, and leading the charge in the punk rock arena is Charleston’s own Golden. Known for their potent blend of catchy melodies and raw energy, the band has steadily carved out a name for themselves, and Born & Bred Magazine is thrilled to offer an exclusive sneak peek at their latest track: “Gotta Let It Go.”
Golden has been a significant force in the Charleston scene, injecting it with a shot of adrenaline and a relentless work ethic. Their previous releases like “River City Runaway” have already cemented their reputation for crafting high-octane anthems that hit home with listeners. With “Gotta Let It Go,” the band appears to be doubling down on their signature sound while exploring new depths.
From the opening drum fill, “Gotta Let It Go” pulsates with the undeniable urgency that defines Golden’s approach. The track immediately grabs you with a driving rhythm section and infectious guitar riffs, laying a powerful foundation for the vocals.
Lyrically, “Gotta Let It Go” taps into themes of frustration with someone not acknowledging their wrongs. It’s a plea for the audience to just be honest with themselves and others, and to break the cycle of lies.
Gotta Let it Go
Standing on the edge
Of past or present tense
We endure consequenceI can still picture it
All these little moments
Still not making senseAre you willing to find out
Are you dying to know
Now you’re trying to back down
Just when it’s gonna goYou can say that you’re justified but it’s just a guess that It’s just a lie
Like youre covering your tracks and we dont know
You gotta let it goYou gonna spit it out?
Give me the run around?
C’mon, spit it out.
Say it loud.Another knock down drag out blame it on a blackout
Not too sure what you’re looking for
I’ve been told there’s nothing like the first one
I’ve been here beforeYou can say that you’re justified but it’s just a guess that it’s just a lie
Like you’re covering your tracks and we don’t know
you gotta let it go
Maybe it’s me or it’s just the vibe
But the things you say never feel right
Like you’re covering the cracks on your halo
You gotta let it go.Feels like
Everybody’s waiting on you
Fault lines
I was just wasting timeI’ve seen every phase come thru this town
& we won’t take this lying down
Istill believe in a future i can’t seeYou can say that you’re justified but it’s just a guess that it’s just a lie
Like you’re covering your tracks and we don’t know
you gotta let it go
Maybe it’s me or it’s just the vibe
But the things you say never feel right
Like you’re covering the cracks on your halo
You gotta let it go.
“Gotta Let It Go” is no exception. While the track undeniably packs a punch, there’s a nuanced catchiness that will have you humming the chorus long after the song fades out. This balance between raw power and infectious hooks is a testament to the band’s songwriting prowess and their keen understanding of what makes a truly memorable punk rock song.
We spoke to Greg McGowan of Golden about the track.
“Gotta Let It Go” sounds like it touches on themes of release and moving on. What was the inspiration behind this particular song, and how does it connect with the band’s journey or personal experiences?
GM: We’ve been kicking around the main riff for this song for quite a while, but couldn’t ever get it to work just right. I think this song went through 5 different choruses before finally landing here. Lyrically, it is about ridding yourself of things that no longer serve you, whether that is a person, or a place, or a habit. Things aren’t great out there in the world right now, and I think it’s important to take a stand for yourself and your feelings.
As a pop-punk band from Charleston, how do you feel your local roots and the music scene in West Virginia influence your sound or your approach to songwriting, especially with a track like “Gotta Let It Go”?
GM: We are very lucky to be a part of a wonderful and diverse music scene, not just in Charleston, but in West Virginia in general. We are equally lucky to have some cool people (like you guys) doing their best to spread the word around. We have all been in bands around here for years and years, and the scene now is arguably better than it’s ever been. I’m not sure that we are influenced in our writing by our West Virginia surroundings, but it has definitely instilled in us a work ethic to try to “go and get it”—always trying to get out there more and hopefully find some new eyes and ears for what we’re doing.
Following up on “Gotta Let It Go,” what can fans expect next from Golden? Is this single a preview of a larger project, like an EP or album, and how does it fit into the band’s evolving sound?
GM: I feel like this song is a good medium between what we did on our first EP and where we are kind of headed with this new batch. Everything is a little faster, heavier, and louder this time around, which I don’t think was a conscious decision as much as just a reaction to everything going on around us today. I think it would be hard to put out something super happy when everything around us is on fire. We’ve got a few more songs recorded that we will probably release as singles over the rest of this year, hopefully adding some more and releasing an LP next year. We just want to keep evolving our sound and keep pushing ourselves to make the best music we can. Hopefully everyone else digs it too!
We definitely do! Listen to “Gotta Let It Go” below.
