“Fire/I feel inside/you take me higher/so satisfied/oh I admire/how you reach for the sky,” croons Concordia junior Marin Wilts on the first track of “The Monologue,” a new album released with fellow junior Max Mona. Together, the two form the group Golden Age.
“We had an accounting class together and connected over music. The timing was perfect as we were both looking for a musical outlet and we started writing together. Once we started writing, we knew that we had a good partnership and could turn it into more than just a single or two,” they said.
While Wilts sings and Mona mixes and records the tracks, they write the songs together. Each song has its own process–on some, they began with lyrics, but on others, the music was first. Regardless of the starting point, “The Monologue” is designed to tell a story and connect listeners to the music.
“‘The Monologue’ started as us writing songs that people could connect to. We wanted our listeners to hear vulnerability and truth in our lyrics. The name of the album came from our idea of having the songs connect to each other and invite listeners to hear a continuous story. We are proud of the many genres ‘The Monologue’ covers because it gives us a lot of freedom to create and tailor each song to serve the lyrics and purpose,” Wilts and Mona said.
The complexity of the varied genres is apparent if listeners pay close attention to both the lyrics and music. The song “Overflow” sounds like an easy-listen R&B song, but the lyrics tell of an unhealthy, doomed relationship. But there is hope: the rest of the album sings of rebuilding and growth, and Golden Age wants their listeners to grow and self-discover along with it.
The two did not hesitate when it came to trying new ideas on both a cover of Lana Del Rey’s hit song “Young and Beautiful” as well as their own original songs.
“[‘Young and Beautiful’] was a great opportunity to cover a song I already loved while adding our style to it. It was an interesting concept because we already knew the lyrics and relative information about the song, but we were able to spin it our own way and give listeners a chance to hear it from another angle,” Mona said.
Wilts spoke to the vulnerability–in addition to the fun–that is found throughout “The Monologue.”
“This song [‘Crazy About You’] came from a vulnerable, authentic place, and it is such a special feeling to know that others can listen to it and that it can potentially help them through their own relationships,” she said. “‘Fight For Me’ is just a bop and it has a catchy chorus. I’m proud of the writing Max and I did to make it a hit.”
One of Golden Age’s goals is to play at Cornstock in 2021, Wilts’ and Mona’s senior year, and are working on releasing new music. Until then, they are encouraging their fans to let them know the songs that they connect to and stream and share “The Monologue.”
In addition to Wilts and Mona, others who had a significant part in the production of this album include Garrett Hall, key guitarist on tracks “Desire” and “Overflow;” Will Guild, featured vocalist and guitarist; and two of Mona’s friends in the music scene in Los Angeles, California.
Stream Golden Age on Spotify: “The Monologue”
Find Golden Age on Instagram: @staygoldmusic
Annie is a senior double-majoring in Environmental Studies and Heritage and Museum Studies, as well as minoring in German. She loves adventures, coffee, and dogs. This is her third year with the Concordian.
I love the music.. this album is going places. Congrats to the both of you.