Go Time Drops The “Eight Ball”

With a band name like a rallying cry Go Time! is here to literally rock you to your core with their newest record Eight Ball. The Chicago based act have certainly taken their time in crafting an experience like no other that you’ll find this year. At an almost intimidating 20 songs, there’s surely something here for everyone with its wide array of sounds and passionate lyrical work. It’s refreshing to see a group bare it all and give it an “everything and the kitchen sink” approach and still nail the execution.

Every song is a jolt to the system with rocking guitars and stinging drums like the track ‘Little By Little” which has the high octane approach that almost the vocalists can’t keep up with. It should also be noted that the guitar solos that are decently frequent reek of personality and dedication as you feel a group who’ve been at this for some time, all coalescing in a way that screams future rock gods. Even with its breakneck pace, the group still finds ways to slow it down with the heartbreaking “On the Shore” which even pays lyrical lip service to the subsequent “Broken and Rusted” which almost lulls you into its false sense of security before kicking it into high gear. There’s a wide range of emotions on display ranging from love, regret, anger, but above all else a sense of freedom that the band explores lyrically but in their unrestrained by focused performance. A live performance by them is no doubt a treat. 

AMAZON: https://music.amazon.ca/artists/B002B2ZW9O/go-time

The band also knows when to let the music do the talking, sometimes offering a sparse reprieve for its numerous solos and what just feels like a jam session we’re able to listen to like we’re in a close-knit group. This an album for diehard rock fans of multiple varieties, and it’s that eclectic sensibility that makes this album justify its length. From the laid back “Carrying the Load” that feels like a cruising song with lyrics like “Vacation here, or in the stratosphere” to the harsh drum thumping turned echoing wails of “Messaging Lost”. Whereas a lot of acts might carry you out on a softer note, Go Time! closes with the kick-ass “Quiet Allegation” with its a cutthroat damning examination of an unhealthy relationship. It’s the kind of album that doesn’t ask you to think too hard about what’s being said, and its lyrics mainly work in tandem to let the showcase of the music do the heavy lifting.

You can get a lot of enjoyment in social situations listening to this, but I think one of the best ways to receive this is with headphones, turned up loud so you can bask in every note and croon. Its lead singer has a very interesting delivery sometimes hinging offbeat, but in a way that works so well, it can be hard to put into words as he bends and twists with his words like in “Another Time In the Night.” If you want authentic head-banging rock from a soon to be a classic act, look no further. 

Mindy McCall