A lot is made of MxPx's Christian beliefs and lyrical themes, but one listen to BEFORE EVERYTHING & AFTER reveals a band whose positive outlook differs little from legendary NYC hardcore straight-edge combos like Youth of Today and Gorilla Biscuits in practice. In addition, the group performs with a relaxed confidence and professionalism unmatched by few rock bands of any religious inclination. Though the album cover shows the group members sporting more tattoos than a ship full of drunken sailors just back from leave, the music contained on the disc is all good-time mosh-pit fun. Not content to rest on its laurels, however, the band branches out into emo territory, with several songs ("Quit Your Life," "On the Outs") reveling in personal and romantic subject matter that's definitely more adult than one would expect from a band most often associated with skateboarding junior high schoolers.