Illinois-bred indie rockers
the Forecast conjure up a likable albeit hardly daring take on the
Promise Ring/
Jimmy Eat World model with Late Night Conversations. Offering one unique dynamic, where lead singer/guitarist Dustin Addis is complemented by the female supporting vocals of bassist Shannon Burns, the group's outlook isn't always sunny. Dark numbers like "Exorcise Demons" attest to this, but if
the Forecast get heavy, it's never in a metal kind of way. Most often, the outfit is contagious, as the opening blast known as "Seating Subject to Availability" and the urgent "Fade In Fade Out" assert, and damn if "Helping Hands" isn't one of the best tributes to
the Get Up Kids yet. ~ John D. Luerssen