Maddie Goldberg – Better If We Don’t Speak



Today, we’ve been introduced to the music of Maddie Goldberg. It has made our day, and we are so grateful to have the opportunity to review this talented, Burlington US artist.

Maddie’s latest song, Better If We Don’t Speak is attention grabbing right from the start. The vocals are clear and Maddie has some outstanding dynamic ability. The fragility in her voice, the emotion, the passion….we have goosebumps here at Send Me Your Ears.
In places Goldberg’s voice reminded me of Adele of Cerys Matthews. In the more powerful sections there was just a hint of Florence and the machine.

This one hell of a talented vocalist laying her life bare for all to see. This song showcases Goldberg’s range spectacularly from breathy intimate sections to belting powerful sections later on in the song. Goldberg has it all.

Better If We Don’t Speak comes from the heart. The story of a toxic relationship, alcoholism and the chaos that ensues at the end of a relationship. The line “Can’t look for healing at the feet of those who broke me” almost broke me as I listened. You can’t write lyrics like this unless you’ve been through it.

Better If We Don’t Speak has some superb rise and fall throughout. It easily maintained my interest right to the end. From the long low strings early on in the song to the foreboding pizzicato strings at around 2m10s, the tension and the emotion is undeniable.

Photo credits: Zach Cooper

The drums throughout the track are minimal, but spot on. I like the kick drum work, its a little unexpected and keeps you on your toes. The snare has an explosive pop to it even though its a very dark sound. Absolutely perfect for this track.

Excellent production on this track. Goldberg has clearly given her all to this song and her hard work pays off. From my own perspective, I’d consider placing a large shelf boost in top end to add air to the overall track, especially the vocals. A tiny boost in 100-150 would give just a little more warmth to the song and some light compression on the overall track with some make up gain to bring the volume more into line with current commercial releases.

None of us at Send Me Your Ears have experience of animation so we don’t feel qualified to comment on the accompanying video in any technical capacity but it was an enjoyable watch.

We are very much looking forward to hearing more from Maddie Goldberg. This really is an absolutely excellent song that hits you in all the feels. Wonderful work, Maddie.

We give this song five ears out of five.