Album Review: City and Colour - If I Should Go Before You
By Tori Ullman, Contributor
[Dine Alone; 2015]
Rating: 4/5
Key Tracks: “Woman,” “Lover Come Back”
One ringing note. A single, haunting, reverberated note begins the descent down the rabbit hole to the wonderland that is City and Colour’s newest album, If I Should Go Before You. Dallas Green’s latest project is a well-crafted journey which explores the man’s every emotion through honeyed vocals that drip with soul.
The nine-minute opener “Woman” is the darkest, most developed track on the album. Although risky due to the song’s length, it is the perfect way to introduce the album. Its entrancing melody pulls the listener in and invites them to be a part of the music. The repetitiveness of the track provides a sense of familiarity which allows listeners to connect with the desperate message. “I will stand beneath the silver moon rising / Waiting to resurrect our love.”
The track then seamlessly transitions into the funky guitar line of “Northern Blues,” which is far punchier than “Woman,” largely due to its percussive nature. The record then evolves into a series of more upbeat songs such as “Lover Come Back,” a sunshiny and energetic anthem of determination to win back a love lost. Although the song is catchy, it detracts from the dream-like quality of the album’s beginning.
Despite the inconsistency of the album’s mood, it remains driven by the velvety aesthetic provided by Green’s high-register vocals. If I Should Go Before You is an album to cry to, melt to or clap along with. Whatever the occasion, it emits a laid-back vibe. Overall, it is a well-developed, enjoyable album. And let’s face it--you can never go wrong with a great falsetto.
