One album down, one lead singer gone. Further Seems Forever has already had a tumultuous year and their album has only been out a few months. Their lead singer, Chris Carrabba, parted on good terms. The band has meanwhile replaced him with interim singer Jason Gleason. This has the possibility to change the scope of the band entirely. Gleason may be very talented, but one of the first aspects of Further Seems Forever that jumps out at you is the smooth emo vocals of Carrabba. Will they be able to replace him and keep it going?
Let's approach this review from the standpoint of the disc as it is, rather than the current line-up. There is a lot of good stuff on this CD. The Moon is Down opens with the title track and keeps its pace right through the end. While there is a definite emo sound to Further Seems Forever, such a label would be selling these guys short. And while it is easy to compare these guys to The Juliana Theory, Brandson, or Sunny Day Real Estate, they have more of a driving rock sound than these bands. The emo comparisons stem more from Carrabba's voice than the actual sound or style of music -- the band's crunchy guitars and heavy drums fit
more of a melodic rock sound than emo.
The Moon is Down is a very good album, but give it three or four listens before you pass judgement. You may be pleasantly surprised as the album progresses.
3.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #89Reviewed by Andy ArgyrakisImagine you're in a band and you just recorded an amazing label debut album with powerful guitar licks and emotionally driven vocals. You have a sense of achievement and accomplishment in the fact that you've just spent months of your life pouring your heart and soul into an action packed project. Now imagine being the lead singer of that group and then ending your time with the band before that…ReAL Magazine 2001Reviewed by David O.I don't like "emo." I've never really known what it is exactly, but I tend to associate the term with bands that blend complex yet bland guitar parts with uninteresting scratchy vocals and dynamics that constantly shift from quiet (sad) to loud (still sad, but louder). Emo pioneers Sunny Day Real Estate have always stood above other emo bands because of the pop sensibility that subtly underlies…Decapolis 2001Reviewed by Brett MiottiIf you're like me you've been anxious for this release since practically day one of the announcement that four of the members from the legendary Strongarm were going to be making music together again. The album cover theme of airports and jet planes seems to be appropriate for this release, seeing as how Further Seems Forever fans have been waiting for this puppy to arrive for quite some time.…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Ken MuellerWhen the members of hardcore band Strongarm decided to form a new band, they called on Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba to provide the vocals and lyrics. And the result is far from hardcore: an emo based sound with shades of post-punk thrown in for good measure. While FSF is a little late in coming to the emo game, and their sound at times is a bit formulaic, they are at their best when…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Bert GanglThe history of Further Seems Forever is inextricably tied to that of the Miami-based punk band Strongarm, from which the bulk of its members came. Fusing together the hardcore punk of Husker Du and the thrash metal of Sepultura for their sound, Strongarm released only two full albums for Tooth & Nail Records, 1996's Atonement and 1997's Advent of a Miracle, before packing it in. But, several…Opus 2001Reviewed by Jason MoreheadIf there's one genre that seems to be singled out for an unfair amount of maligning, it's emo. For many, there's something about the image of skinny white guys in tight shirts and horn-rimmed glasses screaming awkward lyrics about pain and betrayal that, well, just sets something off. And for those people, The Moon Is Down is ripe for the picking. After all, it's incredibly earnest, with those…Similar sounding releases
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