Moments in Tragedy, an Emo band from San Antonio, is currently getting vast rotation on college radio stations in the state. Whether or not this exposure is deserved is hardly a question after hearing their self-titled debut album. Track after track, this new group combines the parts of rock, screamo and pop that fans love, while adding in that touch of popular alternative that makes them enjoyable for everyone.
The band includes the talents of vocalist JD Flores, 21, guitarist and vocalist Josiah Spencer, 18, bassist Phil Moore, 20 and drummer and vocalist Steven Morfin, 20. According to their recent press release, “Moments in Tragedy creates music with a combination of easily digested pop sensibility, while still maintaining an alternative edge.” To produce the album, the band teamed up with Grammy nominee Mack Damon, and the stunning result is a collection of songs that had the potential to break the barriers between alternative rock and radio. The have also had the opportunity to open for Waking Ashland and other well known groups and are gaining musical and street credibility very early on in their careers.
This band has passion bleeding out of every note on their album. From the beginning of the CD, they display their potential for mastering layered styles and complex song setups to set themselves apart. “I Know,” the first song on the album after an empowering opener, literally screams out at listeners with highly emotional lyrics and powerful guitar riffs that reveal some of the band’s metal influences. The next track, “You’re the Only One,” sounds so much like the Lost Prophets that I had to look at my computer to make sure it had not switched to shuffle. The song serves as proof that while mastering their own style, they have managed to filter out the best parts of modern alternative music, and those are the elements that they emphasize in their songs.
“Maybe,” the single for the album for which the band has already produced a video, truly is their best song to start off in the industry with. It displays all of their strongest characteristics, from strong percussion and guitar to individual lyrics and a positive message. They somehow manage to avoid the whiny sound of teenage pop while immersing their music in heartfelt revelations, something very difficult for a band mostly in their early 20’s to accomplish. One of the most catching lines on the album comes in the last track, “A bullet called love,” when the lyrics actually combine a Bible verse from Corinthians 13 with their own ideas. “Love is patient, love is kind, love is like a loaded gun, it can blow your mind,” the vocalist sings, surrounded with beautiful vocal blends and subtle guitar that brings the song together perfectly.
By the end of the album, it is obvious that anyone who loves anything about rock music will love this band. There are so many facets to this group that it would take months of listening to catch every part of their versatile style and that would be time well-spent. The band is scheduled to go on tour throughout Texas from June 10 to June 19, with shows in the Houston area tentatively scheduled for around June 18. More information about this group can be found on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/momentsintragedy.