I’ve been putting off reviewing this cd, although not because it’s rubbish I hasten to add. It’s just I’m not exactly sure what I really think of it. I mean I like it, just 6 weeks on from receiving it I’m still waiting for this extra something to appear that will turn it into an amazing album, rather than a very good one. Further Seems Forever have had a bit of a torrid history. With an album recorded and set for release, vocalist Chris Carrabba (yes, him of Dashboard fame) walked out on FSF, leaving them with an album and no vocalist. Jason Gleason stepped in singing somebody else’s songs and the band continued on their merry way. ‘How To Start A Fire’ is, therefore, the first time the band in this carnation have released an album with Gleason singing his songs. And FSF are all the better for it.
But there’s just something here which stops it being the amazing record that it continually hints at – and I can’t put my finger on it. The likes of ‘Sound’ and ‘Pride War’ are legendary songs that make Further Seems Forever stand out as a band amongst the fore-runners of their genre. But then some of the songs seem to stick a little too much to a tried and tested formula or seem a little out of place in the track order, losing some of the flow. It’s difficult to explain but it leaves me feeling just that little unsatisfied and left wondering why this isn’t a 5-star album. The pieces of the puzzle are here, just maybe not quite in the right place.
The album’s title track kicks things off and despite being six Christians on a Christian label (Tooth and Nail), the message is positive but not religious. ‘How To Start A Fire’ begins with drums crashing and guitars soaring and with a gorgeous “catching the fruits of our labour” breakdown two-thirds of the way through, this is as enjoyable as it is inventive. Album highlight ‘Sound’ is gorgeous with a bouncier than a kid on a bouncy castle melody sure to please the pogoing throng in a live setting. Jason’s vocals take centre stage with the emotive ‘A Blank Page Empire’ which is a shock to the system in comparison with the more upbeat previous song. It’s also interesting to note that the singer can actually hold a few notes, something that was void in his previous band, the more hardcore influenced Affinity.
‘Against My Better Judgement’ is a great song, highlighting the strong emphasis the band place on melody, with both guitars and vocals working hand in hand to create a great song. So far so good. I’m not too keen on the far slower ‘I Am’, which lyrically isn’t up to the standards of the other tracks. It lacks that certain something and I feel the lack of pace ruins the flow of the album, especially considering the awesome ‘Pride War’ follows in full throttle. Guitars buzz and the vocals sound sweet and once again the chorus is as large as Vanessa Feltz after a mega bucket meal at KFC. But then any momentum the record has built up is ruined with the slow ‘On Legendary’. Admittedly a beautiful track, featuring what sounds like a harp and piano being mixed in among the guitars, to me this would have been the best way to end the album. The instruments build up nicely into a crescendo of melody and I think this would have been a nice way to end things. Still, the lovely ‘Insincerity As An Artform’ continues things in fine fashion, guitars and vocals coming together nicely, as they do during the powerful ‘Deep’. While the ’emo’ tag is thrown around far too much, FSF certainly have some of the requirements needed to be considered part of the genre.
There’s something missing that stops this being an awesome album. It’s the flow, the feeling, that ‘x’ factor that simply stops this from being a classic. Instead ‘How To Start A Fire’ is an album that won’t change your life, but it certainly shows that the band have risen from Mr Carrabba’s ashes and show that they weren’t a one trick pony. If you haven’t checked out Further Seems Forever already then this album would be a nice starting point.
www.furtherseemsforever.com
Paul