Review Summary: So long, So Long Forgotten.
I had all but thrown in the towel on So Long Forgotten considering that
Things We Can See And Things We Cannot, the band's last real release, was in 2009. And frankly, it wasn't great.
But there was (and still is) something about the band's debut,
Beneath Our Noble Heads, that's just magical to me. It certainly wasn't the religious message - a not quite subtle Christian flavor, but one that was handed out in a package that espoused tact and artistry that most faith-based acts lack. See, I'm not much for religion, but I am a firm believer that passion and honesty will shine through in your art. And
Benath Our Noble Heads was full of earnest emotion and vivid imagery sewn together with tight stitching and a refined design palette.
But people change over time. Just because you start out as a Christian post-rocker doesn't mean you finish your career as a post-rocker. Or a Christian. But your art still relies on your honesty with yourself, even after what you may see as a seismic change.
There's a lot on
So Long Forgotten that suggests that the band have abandoned their Christian roots. Lead single "Marahute" professed a doubt in Hell and strict Calvinism instituted since childhood and follow-up single "The Green Wolf" proudly proclaims in a group chant: "Some of us are smokers, we're all drinkers. Turns out thinkers make for lousy believers." There's enough here to suggest to me that
Things We Can See may have been produced in a time of doubt. There's also enough here to tell me that So Long Forgotten have found a spark in re-evaluating their collective creed and expressing their honest experiences and beliefs with the world. It's only a shame that that energy had to come on the band's final album.
So Long Forgotten is a more varied offering than the cohesive
Beneath Our Noble Heads, seemingly borrowing something new from a different rock subgenre on each track. "Maiden Name" kicks things off with some fire in vocalist Micah Boyce's shout of "I'm like a battered wife!" aggressive in its punk influence before balancing itself out with a more subdued, sweep-picked passage and a build to its next boiling point. "The Green Wolf" is a strong track that tells some of the band's history with arena rock elements replete with a big, energetic sound and group chants, while "Marahute" - the most powerful track the album has to offer - plays melodic post-rock with Brand New influence like an emotional fiddle. "The Center" sounds closest to something that might have cropped up on previous efforts, effortlessly mixing simple and metaphorical lyrics that consume the emotional fuel fed willingly from the tale of the band's evolution as believers and men, all while questioning "How are we ever supposed to get better?"
Other tracks like "We Haven't Located Us Yet," "Adeline Pt. 2," and "Pillow Talk" steer more into the straightforward post-rock formula, dealing in soft, subdued tones and croons among a river of rhythmic current with a few crashing waves to liven up the waters. There are a few ebbs and flows in these tracks that elevate them above the mean and the lyrical content is as admirably composed, personal, and emotional as it is throughout the album. While these slower-paced tracks have their place and make their point, they simply don't quite pack the same punch as their bolder, more energetic counterparts, and stutter the pacing of the album a bit.
On the whole, it's a shame that So Long Forgotten have decided to call it a day with their eponymous EP. While
Beneath Our Noble Heads remains the band's best effort to date, it's clear that there's a new energy and rediscovered synergy on
So Long Forgotten that, if exercised, could carry the band to amazing heights. But people change over time. So maybe it's time for a maybe-not-so-Christian group of friends to retire their Christian band. Sometimes it's just fitting to let evolution take its course. As long as they continue to grow and make art in the light of honesty - with or without faith in any religion or ideal - it's hard to imagine that the men behind the band won't find a way to continue making strides towards realizing their potential as brilliant artists.
