Glass Hammer ~ USA ~ Tennessee

Shadowlands (2004)

Sigh. Glass Hammer. Southeast Tennessee's answer to classic Yes, with all the pitfalls of modern bands trying to do such. And yet I really like this album. The music is absolutely there. But the male / female vocal approach goes far out of its way to try to derail my enjoyment of it anyway. Note I said approach, not talent. While none of the singers will win any awards, they certainly aren't egregious. But the vocals presented here contain that annoying American style - especially from the South mixed with a bit of FM hit radio - a style that seems almost like religious revival folk music. The group chorus' I think are trying to bring back the ghost of Tales from Topographic Oceans, but instead it just sounds like I'm at some River Cleansing Ritual. But what's not a sin, in my book anyway, is emulating a style as distinctive as Yes'. As long as we're not doing note for note rips, I'm cool. And they don't really. There are five tracks here, and each are very much thought through, dense, complex, and melodic. And enjoyable, despite their best attempts to push me away. 

Ownership: 2004 Arion (CD). Acquired in 2004.

10//04; 10/9/12; 10/7/14; 9/3/18 (review) 

9/3/18 (new entry)