Coming out of Detroit, Michigan, Before I Go is a five-piece rock band that is just now starting to make a name for themselves. They formed in 2000 and have since switched around their lineup to their now fully committed and touring state. The technical, almost mathy, aspects of their music are loosened up by their acoustic tracks and melodic harmonies.
"At The End" starts the CD with a technical guitar riff and a thumping drum. Then it changes into a sound that's hard to fit your ears around as the drumming gets more complex and another guitar starts to pump with the beat. The sound is almost too busy for me, like a hodgepodge of sound that is actually airtight. A few tracks later on "So This is How it Feels," Before I Go shows their other side, with an acoustic track with just one guitar and lead and backing vocals. The lyrics sound like journal entries, very accessible: "Will I ever be good enough for you again / Should I have to pay for my mistakes forever / It hurts the most when I hear your voice at night in my dreams / To realize that I couldn't have you."
"Spill the Paint" sounds like a different stage of grieving from the same relationship-gone-wrong in the previous track. In fact, the mixing makes the listener think it is the same song, just with a dramatic pause. This track is probably the best mid-point between the band's technical sound and their more suburban-influenced sound. "Hollow Joy" starts a little slow with the lyrics not quite clicking into place, but by the end of the track it had me floored. I love this track: a little spoken philosophy over climaxing instruments, and then an actual dramatic pause, followed by a wonderful vocal harmony. If only the whole track was as strong.
Before I Go has left a pleasant aftertaste in my mouth. After the first math track, I thought I was in for a doozy that would have me dizzy before the end of the CD. Fortunately, for my ears, they integrate melody and vocal harmonies into their music as well as simplifying their sound throughout the album. Before I Go are currently touring the Michigan area; if you get a chance, I recommend checking them out.
- Joe, 3/31/03