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Formed in 2001, Golden Shoulders is a loosely assembled group of musicians from beautiful Nevada City, California, led by
songwriter and group mainstay Adam Kline. The group has, at various points, included such notables as Joanna Newsom,
Todd Roper and Greg Brown (Cake, Deathray), Neal Morgan, Dan Elkan (Hella, Pocket for Corduroy), Josh Klinghoffer (John
Frusciante, Beck, PJ Harvey), Rich Good (the Pleased), Kyle Field (Little Wings), Rusty Miller (Jackpot), Rob Kieswetter
(Bobby Birdman), and more.
At the bidding of San Francisco-based label Doppler Records, Golden Shoulders entered Brighton Sound Studios in
Sacramento, California, and recorded two refreshingly intelligent, politically subversive full-length pop albums. The first,
Let My Burden Be, was released in 2002 to excessively positive reviews and enthusiastic radio play, ultimately charting on
the CMJ Top 75. 2004's Friendship Is Deep received critical acclaim (including a four-star review in MOJO) and inspired a
completely unamplified, electricity-free U.S. tour.
At the tail end of 2005, Golden Shoulders returned to the studio once again with producer Dana Gumbiner (High Speed
Scene, onelinedrawing) to record a half-dozen remarkable new songs that were released through Welcome Home Records
as the aptly titled KIN CDep/7" in June 2006. The record received much praise from college radio as well as major and
indie press outlets (see below) and Adam responded by bringing his show on the road. He began by enlisting Todd Roper to
round out the Golden Shoulders acoustic duo for a tour of the Pacific Northwest in June and more recently trailblazed
across the U.S. of A. with all-around-nice-guy Jason Graham, playing many of this country's fine coffee shops, student
unions and even a fish taco cantina.
In 2008, Welcome Home Records will re-release Golden Shoulders' long out-of-print "Friendship is Deep" LP which will
feature new artwork, slick remastering and two bonus tracks ("Let My Burden Be" and "Patience, Darling, Patience").
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songwriter and group mainstay Adam Kline. The group has, at various points, included such notables as Joanna Newsom,
Todd Roper and Greg Brown (Cake, Deathray), Neal Morgan, Dan Elkan (Hella, Pocket for Corduroy), Josh Klinghoffer (John
Frusciante, Beck, PJ Harvey), Rich Good (the Pleased), Kyle Field (Little Wings), Rusty Miller (Jackpot), Rob Kieswetter
(Bobby Birdman), and more.
At the bidding of San Francisco-based label Doppler Records, Golden Shoulders entered Brighton Sound Studios in
Sacramento, California, and recorded two refreshingly intelligent, politically subversive full-length pop albums. The first,
Let My Burden Be, was released in 2002 to excessively positive reviews and enthusiastic radio play, ultimately charting on
the CMJ Top 75. 2004's Friendship Is Deep received critical acclaim (including a four-star review in MOJO) and inspired a
completely unamplified, electricity-free U.S. tour.
At the tail end of 2005, Golden Shoulders returned to the studio once again with producer Dana Gumbiner (High Speed
Scene, onelinedrawing) to record a half-dozen remarkable new songs that were released through Welcome Home Records
as the aptly titled KIN CDep/7" in June 2006. The record received much praise from college radio as well as major and
indie press outlets (see below) and Adam responded by bringing his show on the road. He began by enlisting Todd Roper to
round out the Golden Shoulders acoustic duo for a tour of the Pacific Northwest in June and more recently trailblazed
across the U.S. of A. with all-around-nice-guy Jason Graham, playing many of this country's fine coffee shops, student
unions and even a fish taco cantina.
In 2008, Welcome Home Records will re-release Golden Shoulders' long out-of-print "Friendship is Deep" LP which will
feature new artwork, slick remastering and two bonus tracks ("Let My Burden Be" and "Patience, Darling, Patience").
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, what are people saying about the "Friendship is Deep"
(reissue)"?
ALARM Press June 10, 2008
"From the opening piano line of the pokey “I Will Light You On Fire,”
Golden Shoulders reveal their home-cooked goodness." Nate Daly
75 or less June 11, 2008
"I Will Light You on Fire" [is]... a shambling indie pop masterpiece.
"The Committee" simultaneously cops licks from both Pavement and
The Pretenders and is so irresistible it must be considered a homage
instead of a crime."
The National Post (CAN) June 2, 2008
"This is jangly, Kinks-kissed indie pop, concise and catchy.... If
every song about war were this peppy, we might all sign up for the
service. But the only casualties would be — yes! really! — our
scowls." Sean Michaels (review of "Golden Soldiers")
Download.com Editor's Pick May 2008
"The indie pop of today's Nevada City is not like that of other towns.
It is a ranchy and proudly Wild West sort of music, scented with the
region's gold-prospectin' history. Golden Shoulders are an ideal
introduction: gleaming acoustics pair finely with a lot of lyrics about
boots."
Hybrid Magazine May 2008
Friendship Is Deep is an endless wellspring of wonderful sounds....
go ahead and escape to Golden Shoulders, and while there, send
me back a postcard that reads, 'Wish you were here.' Dan
MacIntosh
Zink Magazine June 2008
"...Golden Shoulders' rapturous harmonies and textured quilting
manage to be both Bealtes-esque and unique....Everybody's Trying
to be My Villain," a bitter ode to being kicked while you're down,
actually makes depression seem charming." Kiki Kruz
Anchorage Press April 16, 2008
"...this witty, Americana / Beatle-esque reissue from 2004 with two
bonus tracks is pure pleasure" John James
Aiding and Abetting March 2008
"I like this set....And if it helps to jump-start the Adam Kline cult, well,
that's alright by me. I'm always in favor of more people listening to
more good music." Jon Worley
LMNOP February 2008
"The more we spin this album...the better the songs sound...."
I AM FUEL, YOU ARE FRIENDS January 28, 2008
"It's a pleasing mishmash of influences that sounds addictively fresh
and ready for adventures." Heather Browne
Press musings about "KIN":
Knoxville MetroPulse October 19. 2006
"The 5-song EP Kin clocks in a tad over 12 minutes, but it’s packed
with witty lyrics and jovial, upbeat craftsmanship. As a tunesmith,
Kline reminds us that there’s still some amazingly addictive pop out
there that’s both exultant and charmingly clever."
Providence Phoenix October 12, 2006
"The nifty little tracks on KIN make you believe that some bands can
really pull rabbits outta their hats."
The Pitch October 12, 2006
"When we heard [KIN]...we couldn't help but recall the mid-90's band
Olivia Tremor Control....Leader Adam Kline sings over a similarly
plunky piano, harmonizes his heart out, and capture the same spirit
without the druggy lyrics."
TimeOutNY October 2006
"Cali-based outfit Golden Shoulders' new EP, KIN, displays thorough
competence in...good time indie-pop."
Magnet July/Aug 2006 issue #72
"If 2004's Friendship Is Deep is Golden Shoulders' seething political
epic, then Kin, its third release, is its post-election binge. Lead
Shoulder Adam Kline and his revolving cast of players are still
furious about the unpleasant state of the nation, but they mask it in
cheerful, go-go boot pop.
Skyscraper Magazine Summer 2006 issue #22
"Golden Shoulders has been flying just under the radar for a while...
maybe it's time for Adam Kline to step up as the new crown prince
of obscenely catchy and obscure indie power-pop folk music. His
flippant, youthful voice and casual style of recruiting whoever's
available at the time to fill his transient backing band makes him the
perfect candidate to crank out quick and easy songs to please the
ears of music fans everywhere for a long time to come"
Read more here...
(reissue)"?
ALARM Press June 10, 2008
"From the opening piano line of the pokey “I Will Light You On Fire,”
Golden Shoulders reveal their home-cooked goodness." Nate Daly
75 or less June 11, 2008
"I Will Light You on Fire" [is]... a shambling indie pop masterpiece.
"The Committee" simultaneously cops licks from both Pavement and
The Pretenders and is so irresistible it must be considered a homage
instead of a crime."
The National Post (CAN) June 2, 2008
"This is jangly, Kinks-kissed indie pop, concise and catchy.... If
every song about war were this peppy, we might all sign up for the
service. But the only casualties would be — yes! really! — our
scowls." Sean Michaels (review of "Golden Soldiers")
Download.com Editor's Pick May 2008
"The indie pop of today's Nevada City is not like that of other towns.
It is a ranchy and proudly Wild West sort of music, scented with the
region's gold-prospectin' history. Golden Shoulders are an ideal
introduction: gleaming acoustics pair finely with a lot of lyrics about
boots."
Hybrid Magazine May 2008
Friendship Is Deep is an endless wellspring of wonderful sounds....
go ahead and escape to Golden Shoulders, and while there, send
me back a postcard that reads, 'Wish you were here.' Dan
MacIntosh
Zink Magazine June 2008
"...Golden Shoulders' rapturous harmonies and textured quilting
manage to be both Bealtes-esque and unique....Everybody's Trying
to be My Villain," a bitter ode to being kicked while you're down,
actually makes depression seem charming." Kiki Kruz
Anchorage Press April 16, 2008
"...this witty, Americana / Beatle-esque reissue from 2004 with two
bonus tracks is pure pleasure" John James
Aiding and Abetting March 2008
"I like this set....And if it helps to jump-start the Adam Kline cult, well,
that's alright by me. I'm always in favor of more people listening to
more good music." Jon Worley
LMNOP February 2008
"The more we spin this album...the better the songs sound...."
I AM FUEL, YOU ARE FRIENDS January 28, 2008
"It's a pleasing mishmash of influences that sounds addictively fresh
and ready for adventures." Heather Browne
Press musings about "KIN":
Knoxville MetroPulse October 19. 2006
"The 5-song EP Kin clocks in a tad over 12 minutes, but it’s packed
with witty lyrics and jovial, upbeat craftsmanship. As a tunesmith,
Kline reminds us that there’s still some amazingly addictive pop out
there that’s both exultant and charmingly clever."
Providence Phoenix October 12, 2006
"The nifty little tracks on KIN make you believe that some bands can
really pull rabbits outta their hats."
The Pitch October 12, 2006
"When we heard [KIN]...we couldn't help but recall the mid-90's band
Olivia Tremor Control....Leader Adam Kline sings over a similarly
plunky piano, harmonizes his heart out, and capture the same spirit
without the druggy lyrics."
TimeOutNY October 2006
"Cali-based outfit Golden Shoulders' new EP, KIN, displays thorough
competence in...good time indie-pop."
Magnet July/Aug 2006 issue #72
"If 2004's Friendship Is Deep is Golden Shoulders' seething political
epic, then Kin, its third release, is its post-election binge. Lead
Shoulder Adam Kline and his revolving cast of players are still
furious about the unpleasant state of the nation, but they mask it in
cheerful, go-go boot pop.
Skyscraper Magazine Summer 2006 issue #22
"Golden Shoulders has been flying just under the radar for a while...
maybe it's time for Adam Kline to step up as the new crown prince
of obscenely catchy and obscure indie power-pop folk music. His
flippant, youthful voice and casual style of recruiting whoever's
available at the time to fill his transient backing band makes him the
perfect candidate to crank out quick and easy songs to please the
ears of music fans everywhere for a long time to come"
Read more here...
| Downloads: Friends and Family from "Kin" CDep/7" Friends and Family (Live in Eugene, OR- 6/06) Golden Soldiers (Live in Eugene, OR- 6/06) |
| Interweb: goldenshoulders.com myspace.com/gs Band contact: info [at] goldenshoulders.com Booking: info [at] goldenshoulders.com |
Artists
| Releases: "Kin" CDep/7" (HOME003) "Bee 17" Digital 7" (HOME004) "Let My Burden Be" CD (HOME008) "Friendship is Deep" CD (HOME009) |