A sparkling, sun-drenched blast of melodic guitar pop,
Go is a perfect follow-up to drummer turned bandleader Paul Quinn and his band
the Primary 5's 2004 debut,
North Pole. Featuring more of Quinn's heartfelt, positive, and catchy '60s-influenced rock, the album also showcases the multi-instrumental talents of Quinn's creative partner in crime, Ryan Currie. Together, Quinn and Currie have crafted a superb album equal to its predecessor in every way -- and perhaps even a little better. Having proven himself a talented songwriter on
North Pole, Quinn seems to have relaxed a bit into his abilities, and the songs here are assured, effortless, and utterly engaging. To these ends, tracks like romantic and driving "2 A.M." and the pastoral "Sunsets" are perfect pop tunes that sound something along the lines of
Jackson Browne fronting
Buffalo Springfield. Similarly appealing, tracks like the melancholy "Out in the Cold" and blissfully expansive "Make Believe" evince a late-'80s/early-'90s shoegazer aesthetic that fans of Quinn's former employers,
Teenage Fanclub, will surely appreciate.
Go's vintage West Coast vibe channeled through the prism of Quinn's Scottish Glaswegian background makes for a unique pop perspective and one great listen. ~ Matt Collar