"A Better View of the Rising Moon", 97's debut album, bears a notable resemblance to labelmates Straylight Run. Each song employs very tasteful male-female vocal combination, and showcase the young band's talent for a brand of pop that doesn't require hooks to keep people listening.
Early on, tracks like "Garden of Evil" and "In Your Car" set the pace for the rest of the songs to come. However, they might set the pace too well. It seems that there isn't enough structural diversity in the songs to support the albums nearly 50 minute running time. "Tennessee Song" proves that they can eschew the path that Jimmy Eat World beat out, and is a jaunty Neko Case-ian offering that provides a much needed differentiation from the rest of the pack. The album's closer, "Curse or Cure", is maybe the most enjoyable track on "the Rising Moon". It begins as just soothing vocals over harp and piano before
exploding out to the full band.
1997 clearly have talent and direction to their song, but many of those songs are not memorable enough to stand out over the course of the album and simply start to seem like time fillers. However, as a jumping off point, "A Better View of the Rising Moon" seems to suggest a band that has a bright future ahead.
CD Info and Links
1997 - A Better View of the Rising Moon
Rating:
Preview and Purchase This CD Online
More articles for this artist .
On the Blue: New Horizons Cruise Days 4 & 5: Starship Lands on the Pearl, Alan Parsons Takes It Home
Kandace Springs - Run Your Race
On the Blue: New Horizons Cruise Day 1: Marbin Gets the Fun Started
Hot In The City: Prog Band Tu-Ner Coming to Phoenix
blink-182 Launching North American Stadium And Arena Tour
Watch David Gilmour's 'The Piper's Call' Video
Check Out Powerman 5000 'Dancing Like We're Dead'
The String Cheese Incident Take Fans On Epic 'Roll Around The Sun'
Watch Motley Crue's 'Dogs Of War' Video
Richie Sambora Returns With 'I Pray', The First Of Four New Songs
The Smashing Pumpkins Reveal New Guitarist
Linkin Park Top Hard Rock And Vinyl Albums Charts With Papercuts