The Loop : Further Seems Forever - The Moon is Down

Further Seems Forever - The Moon is Down (2001)

There was an awesome period in my life where my brother worked at Blockbuster, had just purchased a Playstation and we got to rent as many video games as we wanted. I've NEVER been a video game person (one of the few boy traits I never got . . . well, and sports) but for some reason I would spend hours on end playing Tony Hawk or Dave Mirra BMX.

I realize this is sort of a dumb/anticlimactic association, but there are a few albums that I'd listen to while playing these games and Further Seems Forever's first record, The Moon is Down is one of them. Hear me out. I'm a big believer in music licensing. I feel like a lot of radio is dead and irrelevant to so many kinds of bands, but there is something to be said about getting it in the "hearts and minds" of listeners. I fully believe that life needs a soundtrack, even if it's just the soundtrack to mindless video games. But that's just it. If I really want to get into a record, but I'm having a hard time, I'll "sleep on it". I'll put on the record while I'm sleeping and eventually I recognize it in my conscious state from my unconscious consumption of it. In listening to The Moon is Down while trying to land some sweet jumps, I ended up making it one of my favorite records.

Aside from whatever that speech just was, I obviously got into the band because of the Chris Carabba association. It was nice to hear him rock for a change, this being before started adding a full band to his records. It crossed over into my Christian rock listening realm, despite being a pretty dark record. Carabba has always been notoriously wordy, but this record he seems to lump in a lot of vocab in a short amount of time. As many people know, Carabba soon left the band to become the emo poster child, and they rotated not one but TWO more lead vocalists before calling it quit. How to Start a Fire was a great record, although much more abrasive than Carabba. Such were the times.

I wish I had a more eloquent way to say why this is one of my favorite records, but you know what? I just enjoyed these tunes while trying to land some sweet jumps. Sweet.

Hey look! You can see the band play the entire record top to bottom. Thanks, internet!