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The Forecast

Late Night Conversations
2005
Victory

The Forecast - Late Night Conversations (Cover Artwork)

Review by: KirbyPuckett
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Published on June 21st 2005

In attempts to continually diversify the label, Victory Records have inked the Forecast, a supple indie rock act playing in the vein of now-defunct Vagrant acts Hey Mercedes and the Anniversary. The Peroria, IL quartet deliver a male/female vocal punch on top of their Mid-Western guitars. The crafting of Late Night Conversations was aided in the studio by AJ Mogis and the influences from his past work with Bright Eyes and Cursive is slightly noticeable.

There is overwhelming potential for the Forecast to sound like a poor man’s Spitalfield; however, three vocalists, including the female Shannon Burns, allow the group a significant level of creativity. Hampering that spirit is the vile recording quality on Burns’ vocal tracks, as if her microphone is a tin can. The debut spans ten comfortable melodic tracks full of dual vocals, jingly guitars, and catchy chorus lines. While there are not many risks taken, the band certainly explore their talents, prevalent on “Excursive Demons” and “Sleep Tight Tonight,” both tracks of which surpass six minutes and are not the most exciting, but retain interest.

Other notable standouts include their explosive introduction “Seating Subject To Availability” and “Fade In, Fade Out,” an instant live hit by way of its chanting breakdown; both highlight the more upbeat moments for the Forecast and are sure to be found on a Victory Records sampler available this Summer. The title track “Late Night Conversations” is everything Midtown’s last record wanted to be, but never quite achieved.

The Forecast still sound like an infantile band and often times their expanding musical style drys out of a few quality songs early on. Late Night Conversations is undoubtedly not one of 2005’s pivotal releases, but for a debut it shows promise. Given the opportunity of better recording qualities and harnessing their abilities to write a solid guitar hook, Victory might have something on their hands, even though this is already superior to the majority of the music released on the label recently.

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Posted by xsummerxsaddismx on 2008-02-08 15:31:31

most of their music isn't that great,

but i really enjoyed these lights,

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 12, 2006 at 3:47 AM (EST)

"y control"l by yeah yeah yeahs < these lights, y control shoulda been a single.

suopport the forecast.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, July 8, 2005 at 2:42 PM (EDT)
My Score:

its a solid release. when every other band out there is trying to be the next big whatever its nice to see these guys just made a good rock record. reminds me a lot of some good 90s indie rock bands. ya know, back when indie rock was actually good... and not a quagmire of bullshit kids trying to be hip.

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 26, 2005 at 8:42 PM (EDT)

Even though the review only gave the album 2.5 stars, I agree with the fact that there is a lot of promise in this band. If you have the chance to catch this band live, take it. Their presense and tightness on stage is something to be seen and makes up for any flaws you might hear due to recording quality.

Posted by rkl on 2005-06-23 03:13:26
My Score:

The Forecast - Late Night Conversations
Posted by Anonymous on 2005-06-21 04:53:32
My Score:

There's no such thing as an "8 star" you moron. Kill yourself!

score is for 8.

Posted by CantSitStill on 2005-06-22 15:23:41
My Score:

this band is boring.
the girl is ugly.
and they have a fat dude playing drums.

Posted by sickboi on 2005-06-22 13:49:04

Wow Kirby, this may be the best-written review you've ever done. Kudos.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 at 9:05 AM (EDT)

What do you expect? it's on victory...of course it's gonna suck cock in hell.

-----Travis.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 at 6:27 AM (EDT)

if she looked anything like anne heche, i would think she was attractive. but sadly, she doesn't, actually i could give a fuck.

Posted by Anchors on 2005-06-22 00:13:23

*Salmon.

God damnit.

Posted by Anchors on 2005-06-22 00:11:50

What a group of toolboxes.

First we have Ann Heche trying to be badass, than Keanu Reeves attempting a Grizzly Adams look, then Seth from American History X ditching his canvas jacket for a salman colored Polo, and finally is Dan, Dan the Flannel man.

Please, she's not hot, in any sense of the word. As for the music, I stopped reading after 'poor mans Spitalfield.'

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 at 11:31 PM (EDT)
My Score:

I dunno, she doesn't look too bad in this picture:

http://www.the-forecast.net/site/pr1/images/83910027. jpg

Kind of like a prettied-up Kurt Cobain. And nice skeletal arms.

-Chinatown

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 at 10:08 PM (EDT)

from the pictures i've seen, this shannon girl is actually pretty hideous.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 at 9:12 PM (EDT)

dude, that girl has terrible teeth.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 at 5:43 PM (EDT)

"There's no such thing as an "8 star" you moron. Kill yourself!"

I found this post hilarious. That is all.

Posted by MarkieStabone on 2005-06-21 16:54:41

jonesy's back! huzzah!

Posted by stevejonestherealbones on 2005-06-21 16:53:35

forecast: gay

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

Posted by Marlon on 2005-06-21 11:03:44

Male/Female though!

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 at 10:20 AM (EDT)

That's just too much of a stretch. Dual vocal use? That's like adding that they play guitars... just like Jawbreaker!

Posted by Marlon on 2005-06-21 08:50:11

Hey Mercedes, the Anniversary and Spitalfield sound absolutely nothing alike.

Spitalfield is hugely Hey Mercedes/Braid influenced, and the Anniversary refference is to relate to their duel vocal use. Also, even though HM and The Anniversary sound nothing alike it is still possible for a band to draw influences from both or sound like a mix.

For example: Volcano, I'm Still Excited!! can sometimes sound like Mates of State meets Hey Mercedes (two bands with nothing in common really... HM doesn't even have a pretty girl).

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 at 4:53 AM (EDT)
My Score:

There's no such thing as an "8 star" you moron. Kill yourself!

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 at 3:12 AM (EDT)

horrible review, the only thing i agree with is that some of the songs could be reworked because they get dried out too fast, this is a solid release at least an 8 star. And why would Victory try to fill the void of bands like anniversary and hey mercedes (who were both on Vagrant records)/. I think this band shows some serious promise , i think its missing a keyboard or (insert unique instrument here).

~colossal bandit~

Posted by thefirstfive on 2005-06-21 00:24:13
My Score:

i love this record.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 at 12:11 AM (EDT)
My Score:

The only thing I remember about this band is that this Shannon girl is attractive.

-Chinatown

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 at 12:10 AM (EDT)

Hey Mercedes, the Anniversary and Spitalfield sound absolutely nothing alike.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 at 12:08 AM (EDT)

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