From First To Last

June 5, 2008

From First To Last

[2/5]

Following some controversy ignited by supposed vocal problems, From First To Last singer Sonny Moore parted ways with his band of five years in February 2007, citing a desire to pursue a solo career. The remaining three members, lead by the group’s guitarist, primary songwriter and original vocalist Matt Good, seemed unfazed, penning a new album and entering the studio with hotshot modern-rock producer Josh Abraham (30 Seconds To Mars, Atreyu) at the end of 2007 while Moore set to work on his debut solo album. The rapidity with which FFTL jumped back into the fray following Moore’s departure and Good’s role as songwriter for the majority of the band’s previous tracks may lead one to believe that Moore wasn’t necessarily central to FFTL’s sound.

As it turns out, though, he was. FFTL’s third full-length, which follows 2006’s Heroine, is not without its merits, but the self-titled disc is undeniably underwhelming. While Heroine wasn’t necessarily pushing any previously untouched musical boundaries or reinventing the post-hardcore/screamo genre, it displayed a band who’d found a sound that worked for them–and their fans. On From First To Last, however, you can almost hear how hard the band, who enlisted Matt Manning as bassist, are trying. It is almost as though they know they have something to prove and are expending all possible energy to do so, rather than relaxing to craft an album that represents their evolution and new goals.

On one hand, tracks like “I Once Was Lost, But Now Am Profound” (with a title seemingly lifted from Pete Wentz’s journal) and the I’m-fucked-up, you’re-fucked-up love song “A Perfect Mess” maintain the group’s signature surging, raucous guitars and allow Good to ape Moore’s combination of slightly nasal melodies and growling yelps. “We All Turn Back To Dust,” on the other, opens with the unlikely sentiment “Little soul, your dreams are waiting/Grab them up, hold them closely,” repeating the same guitar riff over and over as Good failingly tries to sound inspirational. The record has its share of merciless hooks (unfortunately accompanied by clichéd lyrics) and is not entirely dismissible, mostly because the songs get stuck in your head whether you like them or not.

But when a band self-titles their third album, it’s usually interpreted as a statement of purpose; this album defines who they are and want to be remembered as. If that’s really the case, From First To Last might want to consider a name change. (SURETONE/INTERSCOPE) Emily Zemler

ROCKS LIKE:

Senses Fail’s Still Searching

Saosin’s Saosin

The Used’s Lies For The Liars

TRACKLISTING

1. Two As One

2. The Other Side

3. On And On And On

4. We All Turn Back To Dust

5. Medicinal Reality

6. A Perfect Mess

7. Tick Tick Tomorrow

8. Deliverance!

9. I Once Was Lost But Now Am Profound

10. Be-headed (Marathon Man)

11. In Memoriam In Advance