1997

I usually don't get into music with female vocals. I don't know what it is, but traditionally female vocals have never done anything for me. That's why I was suprised to find that I enjoyed 1997's Victory debut A Better View of the Rising Moon so much.

The album opens with Kevin Thomas singing and I immediately started to have a bad first impression. I thought "standard pop-punk fare time." That changed however upon hearing the sweet vocals of Kerri Mack. Mack and Thomas harmonize with one another and guitarist Caleb Pepp to create what is udoubtedly the album's high point: the vocal harmonies. I also couldn't help but be reminded a little bit of Pretty Girls Make Graves while listening to this album.

On tracks such as the opener "Waters Edge" and "Patience, Patience," 1997 comes together nicely. The instrumentation is nice and lush and the combination of male/female vocals work nicely. On "Grace," Mack's beautiful voice is showcased in a sort of Amy Lee goes emo-ish fashion. "Enough Is Enough" works well with a nice outro. All is not roses however, as the musicianship sometimes isn't able to keep up with the splendid vocals of Mack and Thomas and the song "Tennessee" just doesn't work.

For a label that catches as much flack as Victory does, this is the second solid pop-punk album they have put out this year (the other being the latest Bayside record). Check out this record if for nothing more than Kerri Mack's beautiful voice.