If, upon hearing the name James Paul Wisner, you think, �Who is he and why do I care?� you�re unaware of the impact he�s had on some of your favorite music � or some of mine, at least. His talent in piano, guitar, bass, drums, and vocals has shaped him into a formidable producer. He�s worked with bands such as New Found Glory and Glasseater, and more recently Underoath and The Academy Is. Probably the most popular of his credits are Dashboard Confessional and Further Seems Forever. Now if, in this list, you spotted at least one band you�ve heard of and even marginally enjoy, you�ll want to seriously consider listening to one of Wisner�s latest projects. It�s a lovely four-piece band out of Florida by the name of Forever Changed.
The Need To Feel Alive, the band�s first release since their EP The Existence, comes out March 8th on Floodgate Records. That�s exactly a week from today, giving you seven days to become an I-liked-them-and-bought-their-CD-before-you-did Forever Changed fan. It�s not something hard to do; I myself was hooked upon hearing the first thirty seconds of Track 1.
The ironically entitled �The Last Time� begins forty-five minutes you�ll want to have on constant repeat for as long as your mind can appreciate profound musical devotion. It�s only a quick glance into what Forever Changed is capable of, but it�s a satisfying glance indeed, leaving the listener eager for what more the foursome has to offer. The well-chosen opening track has the feeling of a slowly developing Polaroid picture, with eloquent lines shaping a scene masterly abducted from the tangible world.
I don�t know about you, but lyrical content is unbelievably important to me in a song. A band can give me soaring vocals, insane guitars, pounding drums, and smooth, deep bass, but if the lyrics are meaningless or weak I have an inclination to use the CD as a coaster or Christmas ornament. But The Need To Feel Alive doesn�t need to worry about that. Each track is less a song than it is an orchestrated four-minute novel, delving deep into the lyricists� personal experiences as well as the listeners� empathetic and sympathetic wells of imagination and memory. While not as catchy as, say, Taking Back Sunday, Forever Changed resembles aforementioned Dashboard Confessional and Further Seems Forever in countless apologies, whispered wishes, and stories of strangers like the young man in �Alone.� Dan and Ben tell tales most of us couldn�t even dream of, while both contributing skillfully crafted drive on guitar. With Tom on bass and Nathan on drums, the Forever Changed formula is complete, yielding a breathtaking clash that is much, much more than the sum of its parts.
The Need To Feel Alive is the type of album that can be listened to in rain or sun, in spring or fall, in ecstasy or defeat. It gives a different narration for each fan, impacting more fiercely and closer to the heart with every follow-up listen. The band combines the simplicity of obviously expert craftsmanship with the complexity of multifaceted meanings in intricately woven lines. Don�t believe it�s possible? Give the album a listen. Tell me after a few minutes if you�ve reconsidered � if you can tear yourself from the snares of pure virtuosity to do anything but love Forever Changed.
...
A.A. '05 |
