In a time when mass audiences have deemed boy bands obsolete and indie hipsters have condemned mainstream pop as “selling out”, The Last Goodbye walks a fine line between two cultures. On the one hand, the Connecticut-based sixsome is reminiscent of pop years passed, complete with catchy melodies and harmonized choruses. Currently on tour with American Idol star Elliot Yamin, the band stands next to him on the forefront of today’s pop world. On the other hand, there are contradictions to this mega-pop image: lead singer Kurtis John rocks a serious mohawk, they myspace, they hang out with fans at the merch booth after shows. They are the boy-band-with-attitude. They are the quintessential band of mainstream alternative; or the alternative to a mainstream that no longer exists. And just like a pop hit, the more you listen, the more you want to listen; they are your typical guilty pleasure, only a little more bad ass.
Their latest album’s lead single “Pictures of You” – like the band itself, like its spot on the ABC series “Brother and Sisters” – succeeds at being both cliche and poignant. John’s strong voice is the focal point of the song, and the music can be desribed as simple mainstream modern rock. The lyrics comment on the war: “This is the war that’s never won/This is a soldier and his gun/This is the mother waiting by the phone/Praying for her son” government conspiracies: “There is a drug that cures it all/Blocked by the governmental wall” yet still attempts to fall into the graces of the vicarious listener: “Confess to me, all that lies between us/All that lies between you and me.” It is unclear whether this is a genuine flow of ideas or a desperate attempt to become popular with a variety of audiences; but regardless, it seems to be succeeding.