Published on Feb 2, 2000
The lessons of such artists like Marc Bolan, Elvis Costello and
David Bowie did not go unlearned – at least not in the camp of the
British band Glimmer, anyway.
This four-piece outfit takes some of the best aspects from the
aforementioned rockers and combines them into a sound that rivals
groups like The Stone Roses – and could even give Oasis a serious
run for their money. The disc,
Silver Zone, is both an enjoyable slab of nostalgia and a
refreshing breeze in the world of popular music.
The band – vocalist/guitarist Guy Griffin, guitarist/vocalist
Luke Bossendorfer, bassist Gary Ivin and drummer Martin Henderson –
maintain a fresh, poppy sound while drawing on the roots of ’70s
glam rock, all without mimicking their elders too much. It’s a
delicate balance that Glimmer has to achieve in order to reach
success – and, fortunately, they do just that.
On tracks like “Velveteen,” “Hideaway” and “I Know Why,” you can
hear the Costello influence in Griffin’s vocals, though there is a
bit of a Bowie sneer to them. Musically, the band sounds a bit like
a more musically adept T-Rex, daring to challenge the listener with
more complex rhythmic patterns throughout the album.
This is not to say that
Silver Zone can only be appreciated by Mensa members. If
anything, the disc makes sure to keep its pop sensibility in the
forefront, assuring that listeners will get hooked into songs like
“Make It Real,” “Push Me Too Hard” and the title track. On songs
like “Push Me Too Hard,” there is almost a Stone Roses quality to
the music, though it never falls into the trap of becoming too
alternative.
So what sets
Silver Zone apart from both its glam rock forefathers and
alterna-pop bands of today? In both cases, it’s a freshness that
permeates the music that pushes it to the forefront in the
listener’s mind. The only other band I can think of that comes
close in this category would be a band like Oasis – which is why
Glimmer might be just the band to challenge them for the throne of
British rock kings.
The only thing I can think of that might keep Glimmer down is
that some people still have a fear of music that is even closely
associated with the glam-rock era. (Think of it this way: besides
“Bang A Gong (Get It On)”, what was the last T-Rex song you heard
on the radio?) But Glimmer is actually more than the sum of its
roots, and if they’re given a chance to succeed or fail on their
own merits, I’m confident they will pass all tests with flying
colors.
Silver Zone is the kind of album that you’d pick up on a
lark and later on have to pry off your CD tray with a crowbar. Who
knows? In due time, we might be looking at these guys to lead the
charge of Brit-pop… and I have absolutely no problem with
that.
2000 Christopher Thelen and “The Daily Vault”. All rights
reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without
written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of
Republic / Universal Records, and is used for informational
purposes only.