Artist: The Actual Goners
Song: “Temptation”
Genre: Americana, Roots
Longtime friends Tristan Armstrong and Duncan Symonds had not considered forming a band together until a hedonistic night in New Orleans lead the idea to be broached (instead of getting matching tattoos). And as soon as Symonds finished his degree, he moved back to Toronto, where the two were from, and they began writing songs together, along with working on other musical projects with local artists.
And so The Actual Goners were formed. While their music takes many cues from folk and Americana artists like Jason Isbell and Neil Young, “Temptations” launches with a slick guitar riff that’s got a bit of The Rolling Stones‘ “Start Me Up”, wrapped in 90’s jangle rock production. There is a country lilt in the smooth vocals, which echo emotionally over the layered background harmonies. There’s a clear passion in the song, as the track’s narrator seems drawn to someone he shouldn’t be seeing; “Knocking on the door with a fist clenched tight…calling out your name but it don’t ring right”, yet there remains an underlying excitement by the “temptation” that keeps drawing him back.
Let this track draw you in by listening to it in our Check This 2019 Playlist below:
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