They’ve given the recording studio a wide berth for the past five years, and it’s paid off.
In the interim, Beoga have matured and grown as musicians, and Before We Change Our Mind is by far their most reflective and cohesive collection to date. The band's compositional chops are impressive, with all instrumentals on the album of their own making.
Seán Óg Graham's louche and loping Eochaid is given full rein to roam, sustained by the welcome addition of The Arco String Quartet and by Éamonn Murray's bold percussion. The ensemble playing on Graham's Arora is equally beautifully balanced, the tune delicately tiptoeing across the rooftops of the instruments. The songs and song choices are workmanlike by comparison, but Beoga's real strength lies in the balance and control they afford to dance tunes and slow airs alike.
A bold, bounding step forward.
