MOMENTS IN GRACE
Moonlight Survived
Atlantic Records 2004
www.momentsingrace.com

Read the Jake Brown interview

What's the 4-1-1?
Your guess is as good as mine. No bio sheeet came with the CD, no bio on their website, no bio anywhere.

Genre
Rock / melodic

The Good
The opening track "Stratus" may have riffs that have an emo feel to them, but the tone is darker and the vocals are more melodic. Here and there vocalist Jeremy Griffith throws in a slight falsetto. A low-key string section helps add emotion to the arrangement. "The Patient" is stacked with fuzzy guitar chords and tuneful vocals that are simlar to Sting's on "Syncronicity". The group changes emotions slightly on "Broken Promises" with a darker rhythems and piercing licks. On the murky ballad "My Stunning Bride", Griffith explores more of his falsetto without it getting annoying. This solemn song builds up to a compelling chorus. A juiced-up blues riff leads the way on "The Blurry Lines of Loss". There's a great guitar muting progression that follows. A stinging guitar lick and fuzzy power chords makes "No Angels" worth listening to.

The Bad
Nothing

The Verdict
I was quick to banish Moments in Grace into emo oblivion, but they really caught my ear. The dark yet melodic vocals are not overbearing, the song structure is captivating and easy to follow, and the guitar tone and rhythms elicit plenty of emotions. An impressive debut that should please the modern rock masses.

Did you know?
You can listen to Moments in Grace’s first EP These Days Will Fade in its entirety via their offical website. The best part is, it’s free.

Rating: out of 5

--George Dionne