It’s been out for a hot second, but Stimmerman — the songwriting project of storied bassist and producer Eva Lawitts — recently released their debut 12-track full-length, Goofballs. High energy — even scattered, at times — this collection of tracks feels experimental, cutting edge. While Stimmerman plays with sonic boundaries and far-reaching, impactful vocal abilities, we get a look into the mind of no less than a genius.
Stimmerman has been quoted saying:
The album is more or less about loss and survivor’s guilt- it’s a meditation on a friend’s fatal drug overdose at a young age through that lens.
Side A of the album focuses on looking back at the environment in which our friendship started- pressures imposed on children to be successful, growing up too fast in all the wrong ways, and the often-debauched nature of our great and terrible adolescence here in Brooklyn. Side B, which is home to the song ‘Painted Smile,’ centers me more as an unreliable narrator, and features songs about grief and culpability in a close friend’s death some of which are, I believe, misguided.
With that very specific and captivating take, we dive in to what proves to be one of the most insightful and impactful albums of 2019.
Its story is unique and emotional, and with that Stimmerman brings her own brand of vocal rawness to each track. “Child’s Play” has a soundscape led by crashing cymbals, while “Elaine” builds to that point, beginning almost hesitantly in its pace. Even with the heartbreaking subject matter, Stimmerman only truly slows it down for eighth track “Long Formal Letter”, keeping us on our toes, just guessing where the musical progression will take us next. Single “Painted Smile” has perhaps one of the more chipper sounding ambiances to it, however its bittersweet truth ends the album with an almost cliffhanger feel to it.
It seems we shouldn’t be taking all words at face value. For those of you who haven’t gotten the reference yet, Goofballs isn’t to be seen as a group of silly friends this go around. And that’s OK. Not everything can be carefree. And to take such an intense life experience and be so vulnerable with it? It’s rare to be this seen as an artist, and we’re on board with Stimmerman’s delivery 100%.
Keep up with Stimmerman here.
