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 Caught in the Carousel - Music Reviews and More
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Glos
Harmonium
Lovitt
An album born out of file sharing spanning multiple states and projects, the three members of Glos (featuring former members of Engine Down and Denali and current members of Sparta and Heavens and Biology) developed and collaborated on bits and pieces of songs as the melodies and vocals developed gradually like a recipe being refined over time. Perhaps this is the reason that the initial 30 seconds of each track seem to tell the story, threading throughout, perceptibly.
The opening track, "Unharmed" fits the bill for a perfect crime thriller soundtrack. Atonal vocals, a repetitious flat drumbeat, simple bass line. It is so instrumentally diverse from the remainder of the album, that I spent some time aurally recovering from my expectations. When the band does choose to go into even darker waters, they use alternating individual vocals and overdone bass and drums. In tracks like "Public Speaker," "Entre," and the closing "Agnosia," they sound more like an arena rock band, but the vocals just don’t hold up, despite the sound barrage being quite akin to deafening arena concerts in your city of choice. They definitely have the chops, but it’s not what makes them memorable, in my book.
Glos is best when they lay their trust in pretty pop songs. With lovely arrangements, I prefer when "Cornbread Compton" abandons the driving kick drum for a lighter snare and throws in some tambourine. The vocals of Keeley and Maura Davis, when in duet, are haunting and memorable, on tracks "Hell Hath No Fury," the Cure-esque bass of "Telepathy" and the truly mesmerizing "Counting Sheep," which is by far the best track on the album. In fact, the more I listen to "Counting Sheep" the more I want to say that this is a great album. With its precise percussion and beautiful vocal harmonies, a wonderfully orchestrated refrain and plucky upbeat guitar, I easily listened to this song eight times. Instead, I have to say that this is an accomplished album, with some real gems and some disappointingly underwhelming tracks. The album leaves me wanting more of the pop and less of the rock. I await my response.
—Vanessa Arce
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