Artist: Glasvegas
Title: Euphoric /// Heartbreak \\\
Genre: Indie Rock / Pop
Release Date: 1st April 2011
Label: Sony Music
Album Review
GLASVEGAS are coming up with a new album, entitled ‘Euphoric /// Hearbreak \\\’. The styling being described by James Allen as “the ascent, the crest of a wave, and then the crash." Indicates there’s a golden threat permeating the album’s tracks. Emotional, rather than lyrical, or hidden rather than bold and simple. The story begins in ‘Pain Pain Never Again’. Like a child singing to themselves these words over and over again. Like a game aiming to suppress the pain suffering while low-key, sustained keys stretch out their delicate fingers, a French vocal sample gains contours. James’ monologue inside these bleak walls seems all the more intriguing with this build, swirling around. The free download ‘The World Is Yours’ takes over from here quite harshly, the drums putting an abrupt ending to the lethargy, its last shreds torn apart by noisy guitar incursions. The track being as musically exciting as it is, the vocal delivery especially in the chorus isn’t quite on par with what’s been given on the debut.
‘You’ raises a thick network of atmospheres and softly pushing drum beats without warning, spreading a haze of numbing melancholy and delicate vocals that darken the soul’s lights in stark contrast to the desperate outcry following. Here, Allan is at a peak again and making hairs stand on end. A little electronic mishmash leads into the next track ‘Shine Like Stars’ and indeed there’s something shining about this pulsating conglomerate of textures and forwards pacing drums that has you completely taken away from this little, blue planet. ‘Whatever Hurts You Through The Night’ keeps it painfully slow so the hurt, all the solitude feelings take their toll on you. There’s a grieving beauty meandering throughout. It is disturbed frequently by noisy guitar scrapes, an atonality that destroys the harmony. ‘Stronger Than Dirt’ is additionally titled ‘Homosexuality Pt.2’ and bears a pocket of exhilaration inside as the first part ‘I Feel Wrong’ bears one filled with confusion whether these feelings are sick or just natural. The beauty is fading on ‘Dream Dream Dreaming’ and it’s just utter pain and grief remaining. Thoughts are being wrapped in grey melodies and words desperately screamed out, carried on propulsive beats “I know you’re out there somewhere.”
The prelude to ‘Euphoria, Take My Hand’ is made by an urgent, anthemic vocal delivery before an absolutely fantastic riff carries on from there and takes the song to seemingly unreachable heights. For the last act ‘Change’ all weight is stripped and its fragile vocals and piano that remain. But the thing that is giving the album the most heart-rending end is James Allen’s mother’s spoken-word “…it’s never too late to change / a change is sometimes good / but before you change for me, change for you.” Change is something that’s been happening while creating this album. It led to an amplified version of the band’s sound, not a complete redefinition. More than just a rehash of the debut record it shows no appreciable flaws except the little one with ‘The World Is Yours’
Tracklist
01. Pain Pain Never Again - 3:04
02. The World Is Yours - 4:57
03. You - 4:34
04. Shine Like Stars - 3:58
05. Whatever Hurts Your Through The Night- 4:42
06. Stronger Than Dirt - 3:51
07. Dream Dream Dreaming - 5:22
08. I Feel Wrong - 5:13
09. Euphoria, Take My Hand - 4:38
10. Lots Sometimes - 6:25
11. Change - 3:19
Line-Up
James Allan
Rab Allan
Paul Donoghue
Jonna Löfgren
Website
http://www.glasvegas.net / http://www.facebook.com/glasvegas/
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 8.5 / 10
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