If I Should Go Before You

Canadian singer/songwriter Dallas Green's long-tenured solo project City and Colour finally gels as a band on their strong fifth LP, If I Should Go Before You. What began as an outlet for his quieter, folk-based material eventually took the former Alexisonfire singer away from post-hardcore altogether and landed him atop the Canadian charts with a string of platinum records. In some ways, If I Should Go Before You is a culmination of the sturdy pop sound he's built up over the years that weaves through territories of dreamy indie folk, pastoral Americana, and soulful alt-rock. But unlike previous releases, which have relied heavily on a revolving door of session musicians, this time Green decided to stick with his touring band, developing these new songs from the ground up with trusted players who already share a bond. Nowhere is that bond more apparent than on the epic opener "Woman," a shimmering piece of riffy mood pop that builds slowly over nine minutes, hanging like a shared thou