Mercury Review

Release Date: Apr 26, 2005
Label: WEA International
Genres: Traditional Bluegrass, Contemporary Bluegrass
Number Of Tracks: 14
Mercury finds the British group not only grasping for its own identity but other, more elusive things.

Sound:	7.5
Lyrics:	6.5
Impression:	7.5
Overall rating:	6.7
Reviewer rating:	7.2
Users rating:	6.3
Votes:	10

overall: 10

Reviewed by: duncang, on december 19, 2005

Sound: I stumbled across this band by accident, and its one of the best accidents I've ever had. Longview produce beautiful music, end of story. Using a pallet of different styles, and mixing them together to make a unique sound, Longview have put together a stunning debut. With some songs using powerchord guitars and energetic drumming (Nowhere, When You Sleep), and some slow-burners with strings and female backing vocals (I Would, Falling For You), this is an amazing album. It's one of those rare albums where you love every song, and they are not using the same formula over and over again. Some songs send tingles down the spine, other make you want to jump up and down. Amazing. // 10

Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics are just as beautiful as the music, with lines which sound like the entire song was built just for that line. The vocalist is very good, suiting their songs (mainly the slow ones) very well. Although he isn't vocally adventurous or varied, he does the job well. Longview also use a variety of backing vocals, with a quiet female voice being used the choruses to a lot of songs. A gospel choir is used in one song (Further). // 10

Impression: 01. Further - first single, and the song which got me hooked. With a brilliantly simple guitar intro exploding into a loud yet calm build up. I love the lyrics in the first verse, and when those strings kick in, its musical bliss. "We'll Come Shining Bright". Just an absolutely mindblowing song.
02. Can't Explain - this song has less energy than Further, but is just as great. A piano is used to devastating effect, and multiple guitars are layered on to create a wonderful sound. Another powerful chorus, another top-draw song.
03. Falling For You - touching love song, and here is where the singers voice blends with the music absolutely perfectly. A female voice just adds to the beauty of this song.
04. In A Dream - powerful as anything, but the verses are as calm as anything else. Some good guitar and vocal effects used here. The climax really does hit you, like all the other songs here.
05. Nowhere - didn't see this coming, did ya? Filled with energy and happiness. The chorus is amazingly catchy, and you just wonder how they ever managed to write it. Absolute heaven.
06. I Would - this song is very similar to In A Dream, and that hits you from the off, mainly because the rest have been so varied. But for what it is, this song is also brilliant.
07. Electricity - crashing drums start, then guitar and a string orchestra join in. A touching song, the chorus can depress you and lift you up in equal measures, depending on how you are feeling. This is a prime example of how much emotion Longview put into their music.
08. Still - another brilliant use of strings in the bridge, an anthemic singalong.
09. One More Try - absolute masterpiece. This songs chorus is more powerful than Electricity's, Further's and Can't Explain's put together, and that really is saying something. I love the part when he sings the verse to the chorus music with a backing vocalist singing the chorus. The breakdown sounds a bit dodgy, but other than that, this song is perfect.
10. When You Sleep - this is I think ther second single, and it should be, it hits you straight from the off, and the verse is always buliding into the massive riff. The "Fighting Fire" line is totally catchy.
11. If You Asked - entering with an innocent piano line, and keeping it like that through most of the song. Definitely the calmest song on the album, and also the poppiest. This is a wonderful ballad, and the final choruses have such emotion.
12. Will You Wait Here - marching drum beat giving a backbone to a calm song, which gets stronger as the verse goes on. When the chorus finally comes, its packed with power and emotion. Pure class.
12. Further (remix) - this is a remix of the first song, with some annoying sythesisers and more guitars added. This is still an ok, but they have added some annoying touches, like the climactic gospels being used so early in the song. This is the worst song on the album, because they have ruined one of the best.
13. Falling Without You - generally a good song, although it doesnt have any particularly memorable moments, but of course its a bonus track.

Overall, I cannot beleive nobody has reviewed this album yet, it is one of the best albums I've bought this year. Amazing. // 10

overall: 4.3

Reviewed by: mistertomo123, on may 11, 2007

Sound: I first heard a longview song on the compilation CD "Festival", and I absolutely loved their song "When You Sleep". This took them 3 years to write, but hell, it was worth it. it has a pumping guitar riff that makes you want to bash your head all night, and a relieving verse that slowly builds back up to that simple but amazing riff in the chorus once again. This song is ace, and when I saw their album on offer for £3.99, I thought why not? For that price it was ok, but not for anything more. On the whole, their songs are a dirgy and failing rip off of coldplay that has no catchiness, no energy and in many of the songs, no apparent chorus. // 5

Lyrics and Singing: Worse than the music. In nearly all the songs, each verse is exactly the same as the first, and most of the songs have about 25 words tops. The singer, Rob's voice is tuneful and angellic and fitting with the music, but that isn't much of a compliment to him when you listen to the album. In their first single "Further" they've even resorted to bible-bashing, which drives you crazy, especially as just about all they say through the song is "God's Love Will Save Our Lives" and somethig or other "Shining Bright". A 4 yearold could write better lurics that these guys. // 3

Impression: Overall, a pretty shoddy album. the only good-ish songs are further (embarrassingly, yes) can't explain, nowhere (not a bad guitar on this one actually) and of course when you sleep. If you can download When You Sleep, I would, but don't bother buying the album unless it's less than 3 quid. // 5