9

Handle With Care

The story behind this record is this: front man Alexander King inherited a storage unit in which he found a case containing cuttings and writing about one Anthony Phillip Glass, an inventor and showman from the 19th century, obviously inspired by the man and his life the band Glass came together. The album is also obviously inspired by dark pop-rock, indie and new-wave amongst other things and it has a pretty eclectic sound. Interpol and Editors come to mind straight away because the tunes are atmospheric and moody. The bass heavy opening to ‘Without’ coupled with the use of synths and low crooning vocals give the track a really 80s, slightly gothic sound, something which is very fashionable at the moment; and runs throughout the album.

Vocally, Alexander’s delivery is very reminiscent of 80s pop bands like Duran Duran and ABC; low, crooning, almost lounge singer in tone; it suits the music surprisingly well. There are plenty of nice little touches; memorable, often complex guitar riffs and bass lines (see ‘This Odyssey’ for some cracking examples) layered under synths and some genuinely catchy melodies are just some of the things that stay with you. Unlike contemporaries like Editors they are never gloomy or downbeat; instead they feel quirky and theatrical which is a welcome twist on the usual genre standards.

Glass’ hooky, 80s styled tunes are not going to appeal to everybody; their lyrics are obscure and surreal, the tracks on this album have many quirky layers and the theatrical tone will not be to everyone’s taste. However, they are obviously a talented bunch, bringing together sometimes complex arrangements, injecting great melodies and of course, the guitar work is always impressive.