It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn＜Colored Vinyl＞

Originally released in 1990, It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn was Turning Point's sole full-length album, after a string of EPs and compilation appearances and before they broke up less than a year later. Unlike a lot of the suburban Philly band's straight edge contemporaries, Turning Point never jumped the twin hair-metal and grunge-rock bandwagons of the period, but managed to grow and evolve artistically while staying true to their hardcore roots. Although most of these 13 songs stick close to the under-two-minute buzz saw vibe of hardcore, singer Skip Candelori is already exploring the more nuanced vocal style and personal lyrics of what would eventually be called emo, and guitarist Jay Laughlin occasionally lets slip hints of the more layered, complex sounds he would soon start exploring in his later group Lenola. This is a fine album, but Jade Tree's release of the comprehensive and excellent 1988-1991 Discography, which includes all 12 of the original LP tracks and the CD's excellent bonus track "Broken," makes this version of the record superfluous. ~ Stewart Mason