The Wake

Something has been keeping me awake for days. Insomnia? Methamphetamines? No. It is The Go! Team’s new album, Proof of Youth.

Like their past album, the newest release is chocked full of what I like to call “Go!-ness” Imagine a high school marching band combined with rapping, cheering, and breakneck electronica, and you have something close to The Go! Team’s style. Proof of Youth is like pure energy. Play it on a lazy afternoon, and by the second song you’ll be off the couch and running a marathon. I was in the middle of the album as I jogged around Dinkytown the other day, and I ended up saving a puppy, kicking a field goal, and hitting a homerun, all while mentally writing this review.

As hard as it is to take the album seriously, it’s not difficult to see the uniqueness of the band’s style. Their sound is completely original and provides a certain indistinguishable satisfaction. However, while the album is certainly enjoyable, it abstains from trying anything new. It has its moments amidst the chanting and trumpets, tracks like the purely instrumental “My World,” but the formula remains the same. Both of their albums require a certain mood to be enjoyed, and may come off as obnoxious to those not expecting a bombardment of “Go!-ness.”

Proof of Youth is like a triple-shot of caffeine. It fills you with energy, but to those not used to the feeling, may leave you overwhelmed. Once adjusted, it will keep you up all night. And, like caffeine, may have you wanting more as it winds down. Proof of Youth receives a 6.6 on Jerimiah’s absolute and indisputable scale of musical astuteness.