Princess Goes is a band composed of established stars from both the music and entertainment worlds. Matt Katz-Bohen is a multi-instrumentalist who was the keyboardist for Debby Harry and Blondie. Peter Yanowitz is the original drummer from the band The Wallflowers, Yoko Ono, and more. Their frontman, the notable actor Michael C. Hall, is known for playing Dexter Morgan in the television series Dexter, as well as roles in movies such as The Gamer.
Prince Goes' sound is a wild genre fusion of art-pop-type layering in some songs, more rock-based rhythms in others, and often filled in with electronic vibes. The instrumental keeps to keyboard and synths, with other rhythmic elements mixed in to go alongside the drums. Their sound has a very 80s-type feel. The vocals and lyrics have a very eclectic feel, as we can honestly expect from someone like Michael C. Hall.
This uncanny group of men banded together in 2018 after working together on a Broadway production they were all working on and released their first EP, Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum, the same year. Their fun musical sessions had soon become a musical endeavor altogether. Only two years later, they released a full LP named THANKS FOR COMING and then their deluxe version of the LP the year after. With a waterfall effect going already, they followed THANKS FOR COMING with the same type of marketing for a new LP, Coming of Age, in 2023, with a deluxe edition the next year as well, before taking a year's break before giving us a new single on June 17th of this year!
"Sincere Chroma," Princess Goes' new single, is very true to their aesthetic and prior sounds but gives it a little more of the early 2000s MGMT feel at the same time. It's fresh, but not too far off. The vocals are higher-pitched throughout this song, and there is more synth and vocal mixing, but it's fun and flowy.
The first song I heard from Princess Goes was off their first EP, "Ketamine," which remains one of my favorite songs of theirs overall. "Ketamine" is a much slower song that holds a more 90s to early 2000s goth vibe while still mixing in those synths more so and adding an indie pop-art vibe to the sound, even while its tone is more muted than the pop-art genre's sound. These three have a knack for blending odd sounds and genres in a way that works and sets them apart sonically.
The music video is a fun little DIY-type video of Michael C. Hall and Matt Katz-Bohen cutting off Peter Yanowitz's long hair till the end of the song before leaving through the rounded archway door behind them in the room. Leaving Yanowitz to then get up and fix his now much shorter hair in what is presumably the viewfinder of the camera as the song plays to its end before he, too, exits the scene.
The lyrics to "Sincere Chroma" seem to reminisce on a love that was unhealthy and maybe even toxic. Both acknowledged that both parties were in the wrong but could have been better to each other, as much as it was noted that both parties knew it was not a good relationship while in it. For some of us, this is a topic we can relate to and appreciate.
This leads the video to feel like it is the release after the unhealthy relationship. Like changing Yanowitz's hair was the symbolism for the changes that can come physically and mentally after a breakup and finding yourself again after being with someone and getting used to fitting what they like.
All in all, Princess Goes has made a market for themselves with their antics, such as Muppets on stage, Michael C. Hall's frequent use of Crocs on stage, and their use of paints and makeup, as much as their ability to craft a sound that people can relate to them specifically. While this is a niche band in both their branding and sound, you almost can't deny that they make you have as much fun with their musical process as they do.
Princess Goes isn't just a band making music; it's three guys who love art and being weird together, creating an experience that can be enjoyed by more than just them, even if you're not one to overanalyze the song structure and lyrics. That's what art and being an artist are about: the lived experience that comes from your work, and I believe that they have more than achieved this.
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