Kylie Minogue: Golden


It’s no secret that I am and always have been a huge Kylie fan.  I have her first album on vinyl (which, coincidentally features a song titled It’s No Secret) which I got one Christmas when I was child. Her albums are usually instant likes for me and if it is not a case of love at first listen, it does not take long for the album to grow on me and become another favourite.  When it came to Golden, Kylie’s fourteenth studio album, it was the former: I loved the sound and feel of the album from my very first listen.  It’s pop princess Kylie meets country glamour Kylie.  Here is a track-by-track response to the deluxe edition of the album:

Dancing
This was the first single from the album.  The delicious Nashville flavour of the song sets the tone for the rest of the album and made me hungry for more.  The video features a rhinestone-encrusted Kylie line dancing in a pair of cowboy boots and dang it, it made me “wanna go out dancing” too.  Favourite line: “And when the final curtain falls / We can say we did it all”.

Stop Me From Falling
The second single has a similar feel to Dancing in terms of Kylie’s vocals and the underlying guitars, not to mention the superb build-up to a chorus that makes you want to get up and dance.  Though one of the best parts of the song for me is the “for you-ooo” in said chorus.  Favourite line: “Caution caution amber light / Still can’t get you off my mind”.

Golden
The title track exudes feel-good summer vibes with just the right dose of Kylie optimism, which the world could use a little more of right now.  Favourite line: “We’re the voice that’ll never give in / Getting knocked down back up again”.

A Lifetime To Repair
A little banjo and some finger snappin’ provides a catchy intro to one of the stand-out tracks on the album, followed by a countdown to a soaring, foot-stomping chorus.  Favourite line:  “They say that love is everywhere / But it’s a game of truth or dare”.

Sincerely Yours
This is my favourite ballad on the album which takes the form of a beautiful love letter, an ode to a love that can’t be shaken or broken by distance or time.  Favourite line: “This is au revoir I won’t go that far / You’ll still see me you’ll still hear me / Love you dearly”.

One Last Kiss
The foot-stomping, clap-along vibes return in this song which is good but not great.  Favourite line: “I don’t need anything / Save for that one last kiss”.

Live A Little
Excellent advice from Kylie in an empowering song that focuses on picking yourself up after being knocked down and looking ahead to the future – and dancing while you do so of course. Favourite line: “Just look to the stars / And know that you’re forever shining in my heart”.

Shelby ‘68
As first I thought it was a song about someone named Shelby who was born in 1968.  Instead, it’s the tale of a girl who knows that trouble awaits in a certain bad boy’s Shelby Mustang but she is powerless to resist the thrill of driving around in this high performance car.  Favourite line: “I was rolling with my very own Steve McQueen / We were hitting that road and I was living the dream”.

Radio On
This is a slower, guitar-centric song that showcases Kylie’s tender vocals and points to the healing power of music.  Favourite line: “I put the radio on / Saving myself with a song”.

Love
A simple title for a song that highlights the recurring theme of the interconnectedness of dancing, music and love in which Kylie uses some fabulous metaphors to explain the meaning of love.  Favourite line: “Love is a disco ball shining on us all”.

Raining Glitter
The song has an awesome disco country vibe; it’s the song on the album in which she sounds most like a disco diva in gold hot pants.  I also love the “whoops” that are interspersed throughout the song.  Favourite line: “Raining glitter down on us tonight / Covering us all in magic”.

Music’s Too Sad Without You
This is a somber track that features the warm vocals of Jack Savoretti, an easy-on-the-eyes English singer who has released five studio albums of his own. Once again the connection between love and music is clear.  Favourite line: “You showed me the meaning of love and romance / With every song you played”.

Lost Without You (bonus track)
More references to glitter and love lost with a catchy chorus but not the strongest song on the album.  Favourite line: “I wanna get lost without you / Get it wrong make it right”.

Every Little Part Of Me (bonus track)
A fantastic dance track in which she asserts that anyone who wants to love her, has to love “every little part” – she comes with scars, is a “little broken” and has bruises which I think we can all relate to.  Favourite line: “If you wanna love me / You gotta love every little part of me”.

Rollin’ (bonus track)
Another fabulous sing- and clap-along anthem that leaves you feeling as though you can take on anything the world throws as you.  Favourite line: “You don’t know right until you’ve been wrong / So keep on rollin’”.

Low Blow (bonus track)
This is hands down (or hands up in the case of this song) my favourite of the bonus tracks.  It has a solid baseline, references to lassoes, rodeos and shots at the bar, and a chorus that is begging for fringe, rhinestones and line-dancing.  You will hit repeat as soon as it ends.  Favourite line: “Swinging your lasso / At my rodeo / You’re pulling me in with another low blow”.


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