The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GOLDFINGER – NINE LIVES
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JULIAN TAYLOR – ANTHOLOGY VOL. II
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LESS THAN JAKE – BORDERS & BOUNDARIES (25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: T. GOLD – LIFE IS A WONDER AND IT’S CRUEL
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SYKOFANT – LEAVES
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: YĪN YĪN – YATTA!
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE JACK RUBIES – VISIONS IN THE BOWLING ALLEY
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE EAST POINTERS – SCHOONERTOWN
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – MUSIK MUSIC MUSIQUE 1979 – THE ROOTS OF SYNTHPOP
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DAMNED – NOT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE
SPILL NEW MUSIC: SILVERDEER SHARE NEW SINGLE “OPEN MOUTH” | ‘HOUSE OF DEVOTION’ EP OUT MARCH 20
SPILL NEW MUSIC: MADDY LITTLE – “ALL MY FAULT”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: DEF LEPPARD RELEASE NEW SINGLE “REJOICE” | THE BAND KICKS OFF THEIR LAS VEGAS RESIDENCY AT THE COLOSSEUM AT CAESARS PALACE ON FEBRUARY 3
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: LAPTOP – “CONFUSED”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: EMM GRYNER – “TOUCH THE SKY”
SPILL NEWS: DONOVAN WOODS DROPS GUT-PUNCH SINGLE DEDICATED TO HIS LATE FRIEND ABE STOKLASA + NEW EP OUT FEBRUARY 27
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Month
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
19
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SYKOFANT - LEAVES
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LESS THAN JAKE - BORDERS & BOUNDARIES (25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION)

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: T. GOLD – LIFE IS A WONDER AND IT’S CRUEL

T. Gold

T. GOLD
LIFE IS A WONDER AND IT’S CRUEL
SLEEPY CAT RECORDS

No, this is not a somewhat melancholic, soul-inflected singer songwriter behind a name or a moniker of T. Gold, but a core duo of Saman Khoujinian and Gabe Anderson, supported by a hefty set of collaborators, on their second album with a tricky title of Life is a Wonder and It’s Cruel. 

And yes, the duo’s music has that somewhat melancholic soul-inflected vibe throughout, but it is nonetheless quite complex in its structure at the same time and full of intricate melodies and Khoujinian’s excellent vocals. At the same time the whole concept is fiercely independent, as T. Gold is behind the Sleepy Cat Records and switching the recording and the production of the album between their living rooms and various recording studios.

So, what would you call this music? Well, whatever name you want or feel inspired to give it, that well-worn adjective of set of very good to excellent has to apply, the rest you would want to add doesn’t really matter that much.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: T. GOLD – LIFE IS A WONDER AND IT’S CRUEL

Author

Ljubinko Zivkovic

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
—
8.0
Total Spill Rating
—
Total Fan Rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviewslife is a wonder and it's cruelsleepy cat recordst. gold
album review, album reviews, life is a wonder and it's cruel, sleepy cat records, t. gold
About the Author
Ljubinko Zivkovic
Formerly a lot of things, including a journalist and a translator, currently a freelance writer living in The Netherlands.
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviews
 
7.0
Goldfinger
6.1

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GOLDFINGER – NINE LIVES

by Victoria Love-Rainbow on January 23, 2026
GOLDFINGER NINE LIVES BIG NOISE Goldfinger is back in action, delivering another infectious dose of ska-punk with their aptly titled album, Nine Lives. The album’s name resonates, considering Goldfinger’s remarkable 33-year history since their [...]
 
8.0
Julian Taylor

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JULIAN TAYLOR – ANTHOLOGY VOL. II

by Gerrod Harris on January 23, 2026
JULIAN TAYLOR ANTHOLOGY VOL. II BOWLING TURTLE With over 25 years in the game, Julian Taylor remains among Toronto’s most prolific songwriters. Contrary to 2023’s Anthology Vol. 1, which focused primarily on his work with the Julian Taylor Band, [...]
 
8.0
Less Than Jake

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LESS THAN JAKE – BORDERS & BOUNDARIES (25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION)

by John Porter on January 23, 2026
LESS THAN JAKE BORDERS & BOUNDARIES (25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION) FAT WRECK CHORDS I really wish pop-punk bands would stop making me feel old. The latest in what seems to be a raft of anniversary releases, Borders & Boundaries is a portrait [...]
 
9.0
Sykofant

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SYKOFANT – LEAVES

by Aaron Badgley on January 23, 2026
SYKOFANT LEAVES SYCOPHANTASTIC RECORDS Sykofant is a progressive rock band from Oslo, Norway, consisting of Emil Moen (guitar, vocals), Melvin Treider (drums), Per Semb (guitar), and Sindre Haugen (bass). Their new EP, Leaves, is actually part [...]
 
8.0
Yīn Yīn

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: YĪN YĪN – YATTA!

by Sanjeev Wignarajah on January 23, 2026
YĪN YĪN YATTA! GLITTERBEAT Dutch-based psychedelic band YĪN YĪN embraces the perfect imbalance in their fourth record, Yatta!, which translates to ‘We did it!’ in Japanese. YĪN YĪN is known for their blend of Southeast Asian influences, disco, [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GOLDFINGER – NINE LIVES
7.0
6.1
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JULIAN TAYLOR – ANTHOLOGY VOL. II
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LESS THAN JAKE – BORDERS & BOUNDARIE...
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: T. GOLD – LIFE IS A WONDER AND IT’S...
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SYKOFANT – LEAVES
9.0

STAY UP-TO-DATE
WITH OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Newsletter
  • Premieres
  • SPILL RETRO REVIEWS
  • Track Of The Month
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2026 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE WATERBOYS – THE WATERBOYS PRESENT: RIPS FROM THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR
882
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RHEOSTATICS – THE GREAT LAKES SUITE
844
 
SPILL NEWS: DONOVAN WOODS CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF “PORTLAND, MAINE” WITH NEW VERSION FEATURING JORDAN DAVIS | 2026 SPRING TOUR SUPPORTING THE PAPER KITES
678
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NOFX – A TO H
639
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MELANIE – THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RAINBOW: THE NY FOLK SESSIONS 1963-1965
610
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE BEATLES – ANTHOLOGY COLLECTION
608
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CITY AND COLOUR – SOMETIMES LULLABY
602
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PORTUGAL. THE MAN – SHISH
580
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ASHES AND DIAMONDS – ASHES AND DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
540
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ODC – TWISTED LOVE
518
 
SPILL FEATURE: IT WAS A VERY POSITIVE ALBUM, STILL IS – A CONVERSATION WITH JEREMY CUNNINGHAM OF LEVELLERS
463
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CHARLOTTE DE WITTE – CHARLOTTE DE WITTE
457
 
SPILL NEWS: GORILLAZ RELEASE NEW TRACK “DAMASCUS” (FEAT. OMAR SOULEYMAN AND YASIIN BEY)
456
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES