Billy Mahonie - What Becomes Before
(Southern)
I first heard Billy Mahonie when a friend of mine sent me the 7" on Gold Hole a couple of years ago accompanied by a note saying something along the lines of "check this out--Mogwai-esque?" I tossed it on my turntable, flipped it over, and once I had played both sides I was pretty impressed by the band's abilities. I was definitely entertained and played the record from time to time, but it didn't really stay in the forefront of my mind. I chalked this up to the fact that the music was pretty derivative of the post-rock movement of the time. I could definitely pick up on aspects of Mogwai, GYBE!, Tortoise, and the like but there was not a noticeable and unique sound that that band could call their own. Intrigued, over time I picked up another couple of subsequent split 7"s. These demonstrated to me that there was something else going on below the surface and that it was probably just a matter of time before things started to come together. 1999's The Big Dig on Too Pure was a solid debut record. Working forward from the groundwork displayed on the singles and splits, the band displayed an excellent expansion and level of maturity from their earlier releases. While a nice album, it's never been one that's filtered into high circulation around my house for some reason or another. What Becomes Before is entirely different and is simply an excellent instrumental rock record. It showcases an entirely different level of songwriting and represents a band on the verge of crafting their own reputation for excellence.
What Becomes Before opens with "Fishing with a Man for a Shark", first using calm and slow. It doesn't take any longer than this first track to realize that the band has witnessed a growth in their sound over their previous output. This growth is most notably witnessed in song's structure--a longer build-up to the track's payoff moment, a wonderful horn accent early in this build, and a full and proper use of close to seven minutes. There have been moments on The Big Dig as well as some the band's various singles that has seen the band feel as if they are forcing a few moments of their longer tracks. "Dusseldorf" with its grinding tempo, the slow lilt and graceful build of "Simple Solutions Seldom Are" and a host of other longer tracks on this album seem more appropriate than what they did in the past. They simply feel much more organic. A material representation of the band's growth? Perhaps...
The shorter material here works equally nicely. The ultra short "Nacho Steals From Work", "Hey Mr. Jukes," and "I, Heston" illustrate how brevity can indeed lead to catchiness. While some of these tracks are short, they anything but forgettable.
Tracks such as "Lothe" demonstrate a bit of a different songwriting formula. The song remains soft and loose throughout. It displays a lushness previously unheard of from the Billy Mahonie boys. "The Day Without End" follows directly afterwards, keeping the same tone. It occasionally threatens to kick into full-on rock mode but never quite crosses that threshold to complete volume. There is something quite positive to be said for this restraint.
The album's showpiece pieces have to be "Keeper's Drive" and the aforementioned "Simple Solutions Seldom Are". A tight rhythm section drives the first of these tracks. It does not take long for guitars to charge in, the tempo to accelerate, and the track to simply rock. "Simple Solutions Seldom Are" is a prime example of the origin of the band's Mogwai comparisons. Long, slow calm guitar work that eventually reaches a massive crest that reaches the point of pure rock and then proceeds to sustain for the duration of the track's close-to 8 minutes.
What Becomes Before firmly represents a snapshot of a band in the process of beginning to understand where their strengths lie and how to accent them while expressing their own voice from the assimilation of influences. All of the Mogwai and Slint comparisons that have been placed upon the band's shoulders now begin to seem less relevant. Billy Mahonie have capitalized on their potential to move away from these trappings and labels and demonstrate they are ready to make a prominent name for themselves.
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