There's something gloriously robotic about Mike Doughty's vocals. And ever since his Soul Coughing days (and hits like "Circles"), Doughty's been smart enough to chant out against a musical canvas of quirky, personality-rich pop.
Ultimately, he employs his voice as a force for deadpan order in songs simmering with joyful chaos.
Golden Delicious is no exception. On "Fort Hood," the verses speak of a determination to seal up the "fire and frenzy" of life. But the chorus dictates otherwise, invoking the Fifth Dimension's "Let the Sunshine In."
It's the perfect chance for Doughty to wail in slacker, defeatist tones that suggest there's no resistance to life's rays of light, even if they sometimes burn.
If that's not golden and delicious, what is?