It is an unpleasant fact that talent does not necessarily lead to commercial success today. For every Radiohead are hundreds of talented artists and bands who never get their big break. Sometimes, when unsuccessful domestically, a performing artist (such as the comedian Bill Hicks) will go abroad seeking fame and becomes better known abroad than at home (like the late Jeff Buckley).

Similarly, when success in the U.S. proved elusive, Denver's The Czars toured in Europe, opening for acts such as David Gray and the Flaming Lips. It's either ironic or flat-out appropriate that The Czar's music sounds somewhat like a mixture between the styles of Gray and the Flaming Lips.

In their latest album, Goodbye, The Czars supplement their instruments with electronic effects and varying rhythmic patterns to create complex textures that evoke a feeling of melancholy. Much like its title indicates, Goodbye centers on the themes of farewells, regret and disillusionment. However, the instrumentation and song structure vary widely throughout the album.

The instrumental "Goodbye Intro" features a haunting piano solo by lead vocalist John Grant and directly leads into the multilayered title track, "Goodbye."

The excellent "Goodbye" begins with piano chords supplemented by a fast electronic beat, synthesizers and Grant's baritone singing of a regretful farewell and possible reconcilement. Abruptly, the song stops and the deliberate strokes of drummer Jeff Linsenmaier and a strumming guitar begin the song's chorus, in which Grant responds as a second voice to the first verse by stating his resolve to end the relationship. After the chorus, the music switches again to the first arrangement as the first voice gradually becomes convinced that the relationship will, and should, end. The song serves as a sort of "Czars 101," introducing the listener to the diverse range of structures and effects that the band employs.

The guitar strumming by Andy Monley and Roger Green combine with Chris Pearson's bass line to make the beginning of "Paint the Moon" sound a lot like the Flaming Lips "Do You Realize," but gradually the song's lyrics reveal the same theme of regret. "The Hymn" begins with a Gregorian chant before piano chords and synthesizers take over the song, as Grant and guest vocalist Sara Lov sing about personal growth within a relationship.

Apart from featuring guest singers and having a marginally happier tone, "My Love" (Lov) and "Little Pink House" (Julie Monley) are rather forgettable. Electronic effects augment the sound of the unique "I Am the Man" as Grant sings of personal independence. "Trash" and "I Saw a Ship" center on disillusionment with a former friend and regret for what could have been.

In the tender "Los," Grant sings of high expectations causing him to lose his childhood, pleading, "I want you to give back to me / the child I never was / 'Cause I believed what I was told."

The whining of guest musician Elin Palmer's violin blends with Grant's piano chords and voice to heighten the song's feelings of anger and betrayal. The album's longest song, "Bright Black Eyes," employs a swing beat and a guitar solo evoking regret as Grant sings of self-hatred, disillusionment and his need to be self-reliant.

The distortion and chord sequencing in the album's last song, "Pain," make it sound like something from the mid-'90s, as the lyrics sound a warning from personal experiences.
As a whole, Goodbye is a decent album. Its songs fit well with each other and, while sometimes forgettable, each is unique in its own right.

The album's only shortcomings are the presence of a slow plodding beat on too many of its songs and its ever-present melancholy nature. It is somewhat refreshing that The Czars' focal instrument is the piano rather than the guitar and that the band is willing to experiment with different rhythmic and song structures rather than becoming over-reliant on conventional patterns. Goodbye is an album that one can listen to again and again, each time hearing something new. That said, much as with Pink Floyd albums such as The Wall and The Final Cut, listeners can easily become depressed by listening to Goodbye for too long.

The Czars are a classic example of a group that, in spite of their talent and polish, was never able to achieve commercial success. The liner notes for Goodbye thank an extensive list of people for their donations, which helped to fund the album's production.

Sadly for the band and its supporters, Goodbye proved prophetic. The band's own website states that shortly after the release of Goodbye, The Czars decided to call it quits. Goodbye will likely serve as a symbol of the band's own talents and, in a way, the tragedy of its downfall.

Rating: 4 out of 5