It’s a common thing to drive by the house you grew up in to see how it looks, reminiscing and donning a big smile as you remember fun times as a child. What isn’t that common is writing a song about it, but that’s what Chris Goodin did, and now he’s riding the wave of local stardom in an upcoming show at Jammin’ Java on July 11.

“I’ve always wanted to write a song about my old neighborhood,” Goodin said, noting his age put him in the right place mentally. “I’m a millennial, all these songs are nostalgic,” he said. His old car, a 2004 Toyota Corolla, was influential.

Goodin and his band “Lovesick Loner Car,” visited that notion of past experiences in many songs on this first album. The song list includes “Moving Forward” a song about divorce, examining the question, can people change? Then there’s “One Step” about some 20-year-old living in their parents’ house, paralyzed by fear but not caring what people think. And then there’s “I Said Hey” about letting go of the past. Another song, “Love Is a Drug,” is a self-examination of where you went wrong, with all the masks and hiding, claiming “Your love is my favorite drug.” 

“Whisky and Women” is about a combination that doesn’t always turn out good. “Abandoned Buildings” is about a friend that took his own life. 

“They’re all kind of dark,” Goodin admitted.

A few years ago, they were filming a music video in Falls Church and Goodin’s old house seemed to pull them in like a magnet. The house was not part of the video, but “we went and knocked on the door,” he said. Seems reminiscent of a scene from Tom Hanks’ movie “Big.”

That musical formula brings his band back to Jammin’ Java for the second time to highlight a summer of moving forward, coming to grips with suicide, and self examination. He’s not alone on the quest. The rest of the band includes Eric Stevens on bass guitar, Daniel Kim on drums, and Jordan Davidson on lead guitar. Davidson used to be part of the “Jean Marie Band,” in the area.

Rock music influences include Rage Against the Machine, Death Cab for Cutey, Goo Goo Dolls and Lord Huron.

At one point, Goodin went to Nashville and took some classes at Blackbird Academy for recording music and “got to be around some cool people,” he said. One of the cool people was John Oates, of the duo Hall and Oates. As an intern, “I got to hang out and meet the guy,” he said.

Coming Up:

New single “Back to You” drops July 3

Watch the music video promo

Live at Jammin Java – Vienna, VA

 Thursday, July 11th