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Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
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Since 1996 |
Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
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Three Cheers for the Broken-Hearted Artist: Glass Hammer http://www.glasshammer.com Label: Arion Records Time: 11 Tracks/51.49 Minutes Sometimes a rock band is best when reduced to the core elementsGlass Hammer proves that on their new release Three Cheers for the Broken-Hearted. Previously Glass Hammer featured a talented revolving cast of vocalists and musicians held together by the core writer/producer/musicians Steve Babb and Fred Schendel. On Three Cheers for the Broken-Hearted most of the composing and instruments are handled by Babb and Schendel, while returning vocalist Susie Bogdanowicz steps up to the microphone to handle lead vox on seven of the eleven tracks. Three Cheers for the Broken-Hearted could be considered a reboot for the band Glass Hammer 2.0 if you will. This is a fresh, current sound, and a natural progression from their last album Culture of Ascent. That project had Glass Hammer experimenting with more modern progressive rock elements. Three Cheers for the Broken-Hearted veers further away from the band’s classic progressive rock roots while maintaining a prog foundation. Babb’s booming bass is dramatically present in the mix, and Schendel’s keyboard tones are classic. Gone are the long epics and in their place Glass Hammer presents an amazing mixture of ballads, psychedelic rock, layered power pop, and a few heavy tracks. Glass Hammer 1.0 was for fans of Yes, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, and Genesis. This version of Glass Hammer will appeal to fans of Porcupine Tree, Muse, The Beatles, Jellyfish, and even Dream Theater. Three Cheers for the Broken-Hearted is nicely layered with great sounds and sonic icing that make for a great headphone experience. Even after listening several times there are new and interesting elements to discover. The album features Babb and Schendel’s best production yetit sounnds crisp, expansive, and punchy. And Susie Bogdanowicz provides a fine vocal performance; sumptuous, dreamy, and fitting the melancholy lyrical tone of the album completely. According to Steve Babb the album’s lyrical themes cover “a pretty dark place that gradually leads you back home again.” The lyrics touch on love lost, longed for, and found again. Standout songs include the piano-laced lead off track “Come On, Come On,” a stellar cover of The Zombies “A Rose for Emily,” the jaunty pop of “The Mid-Life Weird,” the forlorn songs “A Bitter Wind” and “Sun Down Shores,” and modern rocker “The Curse They Weave.” Three cheers for Glass Hammer and Three Cheers for the Broken-Hearted, a welcome progression for the band. Visit Glass Hammer online to sample the CD: http://www.glasshammer.com Barry Nothstine hosts Soul Frequency (http://www.soulfrequency.com ) a weekly FM radio show showcasing progressive rock, instrumental rock, power-pop, psychedelic rock, rock classics and moregreat rock for the ages!
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