When you hear a name like Silly Goose, you would never expect what you get from the newest nu-metal progeny, hailing from the mean streets of Atlanta. From barely a blip in the scene, to really gaining their traction when the pandemic hit, they are finally on the verge on taking everything they’ve worked for to the next level. Their second full-length, Keys to the City, was just released via Blue Grape Music and it follows their 2022 independent release, The Streets Heard it First. They worked with GRAMMY award-winning producer Josh Wilbur (Korn / Megadeth / A Day to Remember)—a dream come true for Foster, drummer Alan Benikhis, and guitarist Ian Binion, leading to an amazing product that is sure to stand the test of time.
“I feel like the reception so far has been great,” boasts vocalist Jackson Foster. “All of our fans really love it. It’s still getting out to everybody, but people who have heard it are really stoked on it. I might be biased, but I feel like it’s the best thing we’ve done. I feel like Silly Goose has levelled up. Personally, with my vocal performance, I’ve leveled up a lot. I feel like my screams sound better. There’s a lot more singing. I’m very proud of the way I performed on the record and then the rest of the band killed it with the instrumentals. All around, we levelled up, and we also tried some new stuff. I feel like everything worked out the way I wanted to.”
Foster grew up in love with nu-metal/punk acts like Rage Against the Machine and Limp Bizkit in middle school. That love turned into a passion to follow his dreams, starting his first band called Student Driver in 2017, eventually changing the name to Silly Goose around the pandemic, and it has been going strong since. Sonically, this new album harnesses the angrier side of Foster, while also touching on the lighter side, which has allowed him to really glow up in his writing process.
“I’m just gonna write about things that make me laugh, or experiences that I’ve had, or things that speak to me. In everything that we do, I like to have a variety in each release. It wasn’t my main goal, it just kind of happened. I just wrote about what came to me. There’s a lot of different miracle themes,” he adds. “Some light-hearted and then some more serious. The song that lives up to our name as being silly would be ‘The Great Dino Escape.’ That song is just ridiculous. ‘Give Me My Money’ is about figuring out the industry. ‘Heart Attack’ and ‘Playing Games’ are about feeling taken advantage of.”
Silly Goose is nothing short of the next big thing, boasting amazing sonic prowess with an insatiable penchant for theme. From rap-rock to nu-metal, party anthems to epic choruses, this album has something for everyone, but most of all, it has flair and panache.
“I’ve learned that I’m pretty good at this, in terms of being a performer and running a band. I don’t know what else I’m good at, but I don’t know what else I would do with my life. This is plan A, and there is no plan B. This is the main thing I enjoy. I don’t know what else I would do.”
Keys to the City is out now and you can order it from Blue Grape Music. Follow Silly Goose on Instagram and TikTok for future updates.
Photo Credit: Mat Schladen
