Girl In A Coma – Both Before I’m Gone

Girl In A Coma – Both Before I’m Gone / 2007 Blackheart / 13 Tracks / http://www.girlinacoma.com / http://www.blackinacoma.com /

I’m not sure if Girl in a Coma has changed the title of the Smiths classic for their own profit, but “Both Before I’m Gone” shows a band that is trying their hardest to create their own sound. Obviously, they have some pretty powerful supporters – no less than Joan Jett (owner of Blackheart Records) is a supporter. The disc starts out with “Clumsy Sky”, and this sedate sound finally gives way to something louder and noisier at about the minute mark. What results is a punk like tempo but a set of vocals that could still conceivably work in the pop scene. “Clumsy Sky” has hints of The Breeders and Me First present in its sound, and the high energy present during the track brings individuals in for later tracks.

The instrumentation during “Say” is a high point; the guitar and bass thread through each other even as the vocals continually press on. The track is strong, but does not yield the band’s first single. That honor would have to go to “Road To Home”, which is also captured in video format on the “Both Before I’m Gone” CD. “Road To Home” does not have the energy or intensity of a “Clumsy Sky”, but the instrumental progression that is present during the track will remind individuals of the rock stylings of a Pretenders at points. “Sybil Vane Was Ill” is a track that ties Girl In A Coma into the angular type of rock that was popularized in the current era by bands like Franz Ferdinand.

While the track will not catapult Girl In A Coma up the rock charts, the smart arrangements that are present during the track will sell copies of “Both Before I’m Gone” like hotcakes. The sheer number of tracks on “Both Before I’m Gone” is perhaps the band’s biggest downfall; the songs here are all decent, but the exclusion of a few of the songs on this disc would make the resulting album that much more tight. Girl In A Coma is an act that can put forth some catchy indie rock but struggles to find the track or set of tracks that will bring them fame and glory. A track like “I’ll Ask Him” should operate as a blueprint for the band; if they are able to go down that path, chances will be good that their next album will be more widely received.

Top Tracks: Mr. Chivalry, Celibate Now

Rating: 6.2/10