Longview

Item: Mercury
Author: John Durkee

Mercury

(2003)

Reviewed by John Durkee

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Label Columbia RecordsDecapolisMarch 2005

alternative rock britpop pop rock

Long-View has gained respectable success and paid their dues with the release of several EPs and other singles in the UK. With their major label debut, Mercury, and its pop/rock style, Long-View has drawn comparisons to the likes of mainstream giants U2 and Coldplay. Although I can understand such comparisons, Long-View definitely has their own sound, with differing vocals and a bigger overall sound than either band.

With a big driving beat, hopeful lyrics and a familiar but good melody, the first track on Mercury, "Further," is probably its best. "Further" illustrates the album's overall sound well with simple melodies and straight forward lyrics like, "Soon too the warm air comes by, lie back and stare at blue skies, thinking back away and from, when i'll be here and you'll be gone. Further, further from me. God's love will save our light, and we'll come shining bright. God's love will save our sun, and thy will be done." The use of strings add a lot to not only this song, but also to the entire album.

What takes away from the album is its simplicity that unfortunately often edges into cliche territory. Thankfully, this doesn't dominate the album--and in some cases serves as a bonus as in the aforementioned song "Further," where the familiar melody draws you in and allows you to enjoy it instantly. Another slight slip in Mercury is that the album drags a bit toward the end with too many ballads that seem to blur together.

Overall however, there are enough driving riffs in the faster songs like "When You Sleep" to keep the album fairly fresh. Mercury holds up to repeated listens and has a sort of style that begs for radio airplay. The only thing I can see holding Long-View back is the fact that they're more of a traditional pop/rock band than the current wave of British bands bombarding the US right now. However, with their obvious talents and carefully crafted yet simply enjoyable pop songs, Long-View has the potential for mainstream success and are definitely a band to look out for in the future.

3/4