Good God!

 

Good God!

Rio Romeo’s Good God! was released in 2022. Despite hearing a couple of their songs in the past, this was the first album of theirs that I fully listened to. Romeo has a very distinct style, placing heavy emphasis on piano and vocals. I believe that this style works very well, having a more nostalgic feel. The level of vulnerability shown in each song on this album is commendable. The lyricism was a major highlight, being completely gender neutral so namely queer people can relate to and see themselves in it. I really admire this approach, giving a voice to those who feel unheard and want a story that’s personal to them. Their music goes fully into their experience as a nonbinary lesbian, hoping to empower other queer people. Good God! works so well with all the songs coming together to paint a vivid picture of love and loss. 

With a runtime of about 15 minutes, I had plenty of time to re-listen to this album while writing out my thoughts. Inarticulation like the name suggests, is a sweet love song about the inability to properly articulate how they feel about their partner. I found this one to be a very realistic interpretation of the overwhelming (but lovely!) feelings that come with pure infatuation. It has the perfect type of sappiness that makes it my favorite off the album. Bet covers the fears of giving everything to your love and just hoping they’ll do it back. For as somber as it sounds there’s still an underlying hope that their love will bet on them too. The piano instrumental at the end almost sounds haunted, a touch that I really liked. 

At this point I’ve begun to notice a tonal shift in the direction that this album was heading. Absence is a deeper exploration of what it would look like if you disappeared. Here they are second guessing how much they matter to their partner and how much they matter in the grand scheme of things. With lyrics like: Would you disappear right beside me they cover the self sacrificing action of leaving just to see if the people you love care enough to follow you. This song was previously written in 2018, following their bipolar diagnosis. This added context brings a lot more depth to the song. I had revisited this one the most because of its deeper themes. 

Nothing’s New is nothing short of devastating. In the many times I listened to it in the last week I could hardly get through it without at least tearing up. I see it as a beautiful introspective into the complex feelings that come with the fading of love. The desperation is palpable, begging the object of the singer's affection to be close to them. The desire to return to what once was beautiful is now monotonous. Still the singer continues yearning to be close regardless of the hurt that it can have. To them, the pain of being alone is considered to be much worse. The line, And won’t you please call it, if our time is through shows that the singer is coming to terms with the fact the relationship may be ending but still requests for their emotions to be spared even in the face of rejection. Romeo’s vocals are so raw, bearing the emotional weight of such an experience. The repetition of the song's title adds yet another layer to the grief being experienced as a whole.

Returning to a lighter tone, Twice seems to be the polar opposite of Nothing’s New. This final track shows how undying the concept of love is and how it will keep enduring despite everything. Here they are hopeful to rekindle the initial spark of their relationship, saying that they could fall in love with them twice. Even going as far to say that they fall in love with them daily. Their love is unwavering, able to withstand any obstacle. It’s a very heartwarming sentiment that I’m thankful they ended on. 

To me this album was representative of the cycle many people experience when falling in love. Despite only having five songs, this album really resonated with me. They describe these feelings in such a profound way and also allow for open interpretation, giving anyone the opportunity to see themselves in them. This was an intensely personal listening experience and I would love to explore more of their music in the future.