The Scarlet Goodbye returns with “LOSING (The Only Game In Town),” a tune that combines two major aspects of the band’s musical identity, its Durango roots and its symphonic sympathies. The outcome is an ambitious collision of idioms that displays the group's ability to fuse melody, musicianship, and personality.
The track is provided as a reflection of The Scarlet Goodbye’s unique sound, where the strength is in how different musical elements come together. “LOSING (The Only Game In Town)” doesn’t settle into one artistic lane, but revels instead, allowing the band’s creative ambition to be part of the experience. A large ensemble contributes to the recording. Daniel Murphy, acoustic guitar, Lead Vocal 1 Jeff Arundel, electric guitar, keyboards, percussion, Lead Vocal 2 Rob Arthur plays bass and organ. Charley Drayton plays drums. Pat Frederick plays violin. And there’s a vocal dimension, thanks to the First Avenue Chorale, Dan Murphy, Jeff Arundel, Pat Frederick and Kale Reed.
That lineup reveals part of the story before a note is even played. Acoustic and electric guitars play alongside keyboards, organ, violin, percussion and layered voices, giving plenty of room for the band’s varied inspirations to meet.
In the end, it’s the combination of artistry and character that gives the song appeal. “LOSING (The Only Game In Town)” is not offered as a simple genre exercise. Instead, it’s a band trying to reconcile disparate musical languages while yet preserving a distinctive individuality.