If 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 too-emotional vocals and too-poetic-for-their-own-good lyrics. But it's also so confident and emotional that it stands a good chance of silencing most of its possible detractors.
Really, what's so bad about being earnest? Alright, I'll admit that a lot of the so-called "emo" crowd is, well... the primary reason I can't take it seriously is because every song that bands like The Juliana Theory write seems engineered to make girls swoon over how sensitive and honest the band is. And, as all guys know, girls are suckers for that super-sensitive indie guy. (It hasn't worked for me yet, but I keep hoping.) However, Further Seems Forever could just change some minds.
The primary reason that Further Seems Forever succeeds is Chris Carrabba's vocals, who can out-sing any pimply emo boy out there. Of course, now that The Moon Is Down is set for release, Carabba has left the group to work on a solo project (which I assume to be Dashboard Confessional). It remains to be seen just how that will affect the group, but whatever the outcome, The Moon Is Down remains an album whose passion seems like less and less of a liability with each listen.
The other part of Further Seems Forever's success is their pedigree, which boasts some impressive names, especially hardcore vets Strongarm. The aggression is still there, but it's been streamlined and channelled through a more pop-oriented sound. Clocking in at around 30 minutes over the course of 10 songs, The Moon Is Down never really takes a breather. As usual, the brevity works, and the album never really outstays its welcome.
It also helps when you have something to say, and believe it or not, Further Seems Forever does. Oh sure, they still sing about girls and relationships -- the band's name is a reference to dreaded long distance relationships -- but at least they don't sound all whiny when they do it. Again, much of that is due to the vocals, and the result is some powerful stuff. Even a critic as jaded as myself has to choke back a sob when I hear Carrabba belt out "I'm waiting to give whatever the world may bring/I'd give you my life 'cause I don't own anything" ("New Year's Project"). And even on the slower numbers, the group plays with passion and conviction.
You could compare them to The Juliana Theory and Sunny Day Real Estate, but they stand comfortably between the two. They may have the Theory's pop appeal, but they carry the Estate's depth (minus all of the prog rock-isms). Or imagine a Weezer that didn't spend their childhood reading comics and playing air guitar in the garage. Further Seems Forever may not be the next big indie crossover but given the general mediocrity of their peers, they manage to stand quite a ways out from the crowd.
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…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Matt RiddleOne 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…Similar sounding releases
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