George Glass
Welcome Home
Self-Released; 2013
I can’t decide what I love most about the music of George Glass. On one hand, the California quartet’s take on peppy indie-pop makes me happy, in that it’s full of sunny, zippy energy. On the other hand, these guys pen smart, well-crafted pop tunes that cause them to rise above the standard surf-meets-garage-rock being crafted by so many other young bands these days.
Or maybe I don’t have to decide, since I’ve been a fan of the band since I reviewed its self-titled debut in 2011. - I can just bask in the glow of vintage power-pop created with alt-country and Laurel Canyon sensibilities. That’s because Welcome Home represents a world where Mike Love took control of The Beach Boys, Superchunk is a revered rock group (and not a Goonies character), and young bands from around the globe unabashedly copy from Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, and The Smiths (and are praised for it).
Out of the 13 tracks on this record, only a few cross the 3-minute mark, which keeps the energy and pacing quite crisp. The arrangements feature the great melodies, clean grooves, and good swing reminiscent of young college rock bands from the ‘60s and ‘80s. Moreover, as you hear on favorite cuts like “Operative Me,” “Side Effects May Include,” “Automat 23,” “Sporto,” and “AM Radio,” there’s great movement between genres, and it’s achieved with class and verve, as opposed to sounding scattered or obnoxious.
Strong guitars serve as the foundation for the band’s musical aesthetic. They tend to remain clean and bright on most songs, though it helps that the guys know exactly when and how much distortion, echo, and tremolo need to enter the fray for flavor. I’m also impressed by how the self-assured tenor works its way past the instruments so that it can shake the listener’s hand before asking if he could have this dance. The rhythm section is on-point as well, as the drumming is fun, engaging, and reflective of a good appreciation of dynamics, while the counterpoint runs on the bass make my inner music theory nerd quite pleased.
When you take into account all of the nonsense I normally get in my inbox from hip buzz bands and their hipper PR folks (much less satellite radio stations and music blogs popular with modern music fans), I’m surprised that more people haven’t learned about the magic made by George Glass. I’ve never been the sort of music fan or critic that wants to hide good music from the hoi polloi, which is why I think that Welcome Home deserves all the accolades and attention it could possibly receive.
http://dryvetyme.tumblr.com/post/56141813443/george-glass-welcome-home
Welcome Home
Self-Released; 2013
I can’t decide what I love most about the music of George Glass. On one hand, the California quartet’s take on peppy indie-pop makes me happy, in that it’s full of sunny, zippy energy. On the other hand, these guys pen smart, well-crafted pop tunes that cause them to rise above the standard surf-meets-garage-rock being crafted by so many other young bands these days.
Or maybe I don’t have to decide, since I’ve been a fan of the band since I reviewed its self-titled debut in 2011. - I can just bask in the glow of vintage power-pop created with alt-country and Laurel Canyon sensibilities. That’s because Welcome Home represents a world where Mike Love took control of The Beach Boys, Superchunk is a revered rock group (and not a Goonies character), and young bands from around the globe unabashedly copy from Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, and The Smiths (and are praised for it).
Out of the 13 tracks on this record, only a few cross the 3-minute mark, which keeps the energy and pacing quite crisp. The arrangements feature the great melodies, clean grooves, and good swing reminiscent of young college rock bands from the ‘60s and ‘80s. Moreover, as you hear on favorite cuts like “Operative Me,” “Side Effects May Include,” “Automat 23,” “Sporto,” and “AM Radio,” there’s great movement between genres, and it’s achieved with class and verve, as opposed to sounding scattered or obnoxious.
Strong guitars serve as the foundation for the band’s musical aesthetic. They tend to remain clean and bright on most songs, though it helps that the guys know exactly when and how much distortion, echo, and tremolo need to enter the fray for flavor. I’m also impressed by how the self-assured tenor works its way past the instruments so that it can shake the listener’s hand before asking if he could have this dance. The rhythm section is on-point as well, as the drumming is fun, engaging, and reflective of a good appreciation of dynamics, while the counterpoint runs on the bass make my inner music theory nerd quite pleased.
When you take into account all of the nonsense I normally get in my inbox from hip buzz bands and their hipper PR folks (much less satellite radio stations and music blogs popular with modern music fans), I’m surprised that more people haven’t learned about the magic made by George Glass. I’ve never been the sort of music fan or critic that wants to hide good music from the hoi polloi, which is why I think that Welcome Home deserves all the accolades and attention it could possibly receive.
http://dryvetyme.tumblr.com/post/56141813443/george-glass-welcome-home
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