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 5 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)

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

9/3/18 (new entry)