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<< Front page Arts November 7, 2003
 
Believe the Gossip

Girls are squealing a little bit louder, boyfriends are grumbling a little bit longer and the Feve is closing a little bit later…There can only be one reason for all of this madness – rock star Jason Myles Goss, OC ’03 is back in town. Fresh from a tour of Ireland, he returns to his familiar turf at the Cat on Saturday night. It’s been six months since Oberlin ladies have donned their most alluring attire and scampered over to the Cat for an evening of imagining themselves as the subject of songs such as “Irish Eyes,” and “Twilight Serenade.”

Aside from touring Ireland during his six months as an Oberlin alumnus, Goss released a CD, was one of the five finalists at the prestigious Newport Folk Festival and created a nifty new website (www.jasonmylesgoss.com). All of us youngsters are eager to see if fame and fortune have corrupted our boy or if he’s retained the gawky humility that drew us to him in the first place.

Goss has added some new songs to his repertoire and some new low notes to his range. While he still has his trademark breathy croon, Goss has developed a deep, visceral focus in his lower singing that brings a sense of maturity to his work. Though the ladies love it, his trademark sound is vocally taxing and the myriad of gigs that he’s playing this month have fueled an expansion of his range.

Goss’s songs are still vocally and lyrically driven. He has the uncanny ability to take a cliché and spin it into original poetry. Many of his lyrics refer to an elusive “her,” conveniently allowing Goss’s female fans to insert themselves into the characters he paints so poetically.

But does he have a muse? Goss says that his inspiration comes more from fragments he “picks up here and there” than one particular female source. For instance, he chose the title “Irish Eyes” for its phonetic appeal as well the story it evoked for him. Goss was also inspired by his trip to Ireland during which he encountered many musicians and eccentric characters.

Comparisons to fellow folk-rocker alumnus Josh Ritter seem to be unavoidable. When Goss first heard Ritter play to a packed house during his freshman orientation he thought, “I want to do that.” By last year’s CD release concert he was cramming the Cat like no other Obie.

Senior Jean Lowe says of Goss, “I always thought he had a fabulous stage presence. He can really captivate a crowd.” Now that he’s done a little playing for bald men who chronically request “Margaritaville,” Goss remembers how long it took to build up that fan base of which he is so appreciative. However, this boy’s concerts are not going to be free for long, so catch him while you can.

Cat in the Cream. Saturday, Nov. 8, 9 p.m. Free.