Moonlight Survived Review

02/17/2005 4:39 AM, AMG


For a band working within the flawed emo/post-hardcore construct that actually has something to offer - namely Jeremy Griffith, their talented singer and principal songwriter - Moments In Grace seem eager to wrap themselves in cliché. Rites of Spring reference or not, "Moments In Grace" is an interchangeable Emo Mad Lib. It's a moniker in threes, preferably combining units of time or distance with pain, romance, or divinity themes. Moonlight Survived is utterly meaningless, yet immediately weighty; its cover art is appropriately murky. Then there are Griffith's lyrics, which stagnate into a blah mess of romantic fallout, soul-baring confession, and vaguely spiritual deep thoughts. "And I cry for the death of our dove"; "I gave you my last breath and you left me"; "I walked blindly toward the lifeless hell" - is this rock music or a Deepak Chopra seminar? Griffith is tremendously expressive vocally, with a melancholy in his voice suggestive of British singers like Starsailor's James Walsh. But he's hindered by those clunky placeholder lyrics, and muddy Brian McTernan production. The veteran helmer (Thrice, Hot Water Music) has a vested interest in Moments in Grace, tapping them as the first signee to his Salad Days imprint (via Atlantic). But Moonlight Survived is mired in a foggy production lowland that either skews Grace toward its peers or broadcasts them through a reverb froghorn ("Broken Promises"). Except for the lyrics, the album is never really bad, particularly if you're a die-hard fan of the emo-influenced sound. But it suffers from over-ambition. While "Stratus"' shifts between urgent electric guitars and synth/strings atmospherics would work wonders for Styx, the song seems hopelessly melodramatic here. "The Blurring Lines of Loss" can't resist piling on the strings, either, nullifying the power of its tense lead guitar. "My Dying Day" gets it right, employing rousing percussion and impressive vocal harmony breakdowns as setups for blasts of riff and winding solo. But stuff like "My Stunning Bride" or "We Feel the Songs" are more typical of Moonlight, getting stuck in a shadowy place between U2 and Sunny Day Real Estate, never finding their own perch. There's promise here, but it's buried in melodrama. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide