Godzillionaire has had an interesting journey. Lead singer Mark Hennessy was the main man in the criminally underrated 90s alt/grunge band Paw, a band that I still, till this day, absolutely love (I have Death To Traitors on vinyl, something that Mark told me he doesn’t even have).
Mark’s ability to tell a story in his lyrics and his trademarked voice made Paw stand out to those who know what shit is good. They should have been huge, beyond the MTV Buzz Clip of their best-known song, Jessie. Mark’s life has gone in all sorts of directions since then, but eventually gravitated to Kansas-based musicians Mike Dye, Cody Romaine, and Ben White to form his next musical adventure, Godzillionaire.
The band has been somewhat under the radar but still releasing killer records like Small Change and Negative Balance in a very DIY sort of way. The songs on those records are great, but now, in 2025, the planets have aligned for Godzillionaire. The band has signed to Ripple Music and created what very well may be my album of the year. I know it is January, but that is how much I love Diminishing Returns.
The playing, writing, and production on Diminishing Returns is perfect. The record goes in all sorts of directions but never is scattered or seems like it is veering off track. Mark’s vocals are some of his best ever, even if you can’t tell he was the dude in Paw. Ben White’s guitar work is excellent, bringing the necessary riffs while building the atmosphere and vibe around the eight tracks. Cody Romaine’s drums are expertly added in the mix and he partners seamlessly with Mike Dye’s killer bass work. Three of the four guys lend vocals to the record, another aspect of the songs I love. The eight songs that make up the 45 minutes of this record should be looked at as a crowning achievement in the music lives of the four members of the band.
If there is a better track than 3rd Street Shuffle this year, I will be very surprised. Why? The riff, the melody, the vocals, and the lyrics are all perfect. Oh, and that bass line. Damn. The opener, Drowning All Night, is right there too. I am not going to throw labels on the band, but if you like melodic heavy rock I can’t see how this track would not be on any playlist that you build. For you stoner rock fans asking where all the riffs are, check on the heaviest song on the record, Boogie Johnson (title of the year too). This one rips and creates a frantic scene with vocals from Henessey that match the vibe. Boogie indeed.
After you listen to this record a few times, sit and listen closely to the lyrics. Spin Up Spin Down is a 90s alt psych leaning slow burn that is as profound a song as I have heard in a long time and really grabs me every single time. It has a great solo from Ben White too. A quiet chug is what you get from Astrogarden, a grungy little number with cool harmonized vocals and something that brings a band like Soundgarden to mind, but in their quieter moments, but not too quiet, especially when the band brings down the hammer at the end. The rhythm section really stands out on this one. Hennessy’s ties to the 90s alt rock/grunge scene are inescapable, and the band leverages this and even leans right in.
What 90s band didn’t try a synth driven track, with results all over the map? Godzillionaire offers Unsustainable, a moody and mellow song that bleeds 90s. You may not think this track fits on Diminishing Returns if you had heard it out of sequence, but it works perfectly as it relates to the rest of the record, with Hennessy singing more than I have ever hear him, partnering beautifully with guest vocalist Lizz Weiler.
Common Board, Magic Nail is more moody alt rock, delivered by four musicians who understand what this truly means, and has a killer psych-tinged solo to go along with it. The song brings a sort of heavy shoegaze vibe to it that is even more impactful with the background vocal of Chelsey Larson and Lauren Mayhew added to the mix. The closer, Shadow Of A Mountain, is adjacent to the impact that Like Suicide has as the closer on Superunknown, which is really all I need to say here.
Some records just hit you. Whether it is because it reminds you of a time in your life, or because the lyrics hit home for you, or the music is just catchy, memorable and expertly played, or maybe because the band in question and has caught lightning in a bottle. Maybe in the case of Diminishing Returns, it is all of the above. Godzillionaire have created what I consider a perfect record that should be experienced by all. 10/10
Some records just hit you. Whether it is because it reminds you of a time in your life, or because the lyrics hit home for you, or the music is just catchy, memorable and expertly played, or maybe because the band in question and has caught lightning in a bottle. Maybe in the case of Diminishing Returns, it is all of the above. Godzillionaire have created what I consider a perfect record that should be experienced by all. 10/10
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