Further Seems Forever - Penny Black

I've been excited about a lot of reunions but Further Seems Forever might be my favorite. Hearing New Year's Project made me an instant fan. When the band released The Moon is Down, I loved it and I am one of the few lucky people who got the see FSF with Chris before he split. The band was never the same for me after he left. Jason was fine and I really liked Hide Nothing but nothing they released post The Moon is Down had quite the same impact for me.

Penny Black is 100% Further Seems Forever. I knew the album would be good after hearing So Cold but the song didn't have that classic FSF feel. But fans should fear not. Penny Black doesn't sound anything like Dashboard Confessional (who I honestly, also love). This is Further Seems Forever.

So Cold is a great opening track to the record and a great re-introduction to FSF with Chris on vocals. Rescue Trained is a great track that should put anyone's fears to rest. While I don't get the subtle, but always present, autotune on Carrabba's vocals, it doesn't hurt the song. Way Down and Kings Canyon have an aggression in Carrabba's vocals that I've never heard.

Lyrically Penny Black is about relationships but Carrabba's metaphors hide deeper meanings like they did on The Moon is Down. There's a complication to the lyrics that Dashboard Confessional is often times missing.

Penny Black is the follow-up to The Moon is Down that Further Seems Forever fans never really got. I know a lot of people loved Jason Gleason and thought he fit FSF better as a vocalist but I always loved The Moon is Down. And hearing Chris Carrabba back on lead vocals feels right.