FLASHLIGHT: A Closer Look At… A Dream Too Late

This Albany, Ore., quartet recently signed to BEC Recordings and released their first-ever LP, Intermission to the Moon. This reminds me most, if anything, of early Jimmy Eat World a la Clarity era, which definitely isn’t a bad thing. An understated positivity (for lack of a better word) streams as an undercurrent throughout the record. The emotion is subtle, though the instrumentation and production is definitely next-level. Several members of the highly successful outfit Falling Up contributed to the creative process of their hometown comrades’ debut. Specifically, vocalist Jessy Ribordy and drummer Josh Shroy make appearances and provide writing elements, and they do not disappoint.

“The overall message is an inspirational call to chasing your dreams with hope,” comments A Dream Too Late guitarist Chris Eddy. “Hopefully, this record will motivate people to do something amazing with their lives. With God’s grace we can follow the desires of our hearts and chase our dreams.

“‘Space is all you’ve got’ is one of my favorite lyrics on the record,” he continues, “meaning, if you set your eyes to the stars, you just might reach them. Another of my favorites is the phrase ‘The freeway can take you anywhere’—meaning no matter what your vision or goal is, there will always be a road provided.”

Though perhaps not filled with multi-Platinum radio smashes, this is a solid first effort, from its songwriting to its beat-driven cuts to its depth. This is great pop/rock for those searching for the stars and in need of a soundtrack that doesn’t quite fit into the category of the endless array of emo/pop/rock. adreamtoolate.com