On City and Colour’s latest release, If I Should Go Before You, Dallas Green has left his acoustic guitar at home and picked up the electric. Gone are the fingerpicked ballads he is known for, and in their place can be found a collection of songs that combine his knack for melody with easygoing ‘70s rock. Backed with a full band throughout, it marks a change of pace for the artist.
“I’m trying to change direction,” sings Green on Mizzy C. That much is certainly clear three songs into the album. Opening with the 10 minute, psychedelic slow-burner Woman, it’s obvious the record is taking a more experimental approach to composition this time around. While the mission statement is clear enough – the desired intensity If I Should Go Before You attempts to capture doesn’t always hit the mark. While Woman is an interesting and enjoyable track that shows a new side of City and Colour, it fails to sustain on further listens without signalling an element of self indulgence.
This isn’t to say the album is completely without redemption. Throughout, Green’s pure falsetto is identifiable and flawless as ever. As always, his voice is instantly identifiable and practically flawless. So too is the record’s production (done primarily by Green), which is similarly clean and lush. However, it’s this exact flawless quality that makes If I Should Go Before You feel like it floats by without leaving much of a lasting impression. Songs like Runaway and Map of the World are good, well written songs but they lack any sense of grit or error. In many ways, City and Colour’s latest record had the potential to be City and Colour’s boldest statement yet. It seems the group lacked conviction to stray too far from their comfort zone.
BY JAMES DI FABRIZIO
