Customer Reviews

Glands

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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The Glands are another Athens, Ga., treasure. Every time I hear yet another astounding record come out of Athens, I miss living there a little bit more. Oh well, at least the best bands in town go on national tours and usually make it out West. "The Glands" is a tuneful, challenging, gorgeous wonder of an album from beginning to end, and in my opinion deserves a place among the all-time Athens classics, right up there with R.E.M.'s "Murmur" and "Automatic for the People," Olivia Tremor Control's "Dusk at Cubist Castle," and both of Neutral Milk Hotel's records. From the ramshackle charm of the opener, "Livin' Was Easy," to the 70s power-pop of "When I Laugh" and "Straight Down" to the R.E.M.-esque "Swim", the touching, dreamy soundscapes of "Mayflower" and "I Can See My House From Here," and, perhaps the greatest track on the whole album (and the best pop song to use the Velvets' "What Goes On" motif since, well, "What Goes On" itself), "Lovetown," this record has "classic" stamped all over every lovingly crafted groove. The production is perfect, allowing the guitars to slowly pick their intoxicating melodies, the fantastic rhythm section to work its Weymouth-like magic, and the sound effects to mesmerize. Especially great are Ross Shapiro's charismatic, double-tracked vocals, which (to me) sound like a blissed-out cross between Jerry Garcia and Ric Ocasek. Sounds strange to the brain, but great to the ears. The best pop album since the Flaming Lips' "Soft Bulletin" has been found. A critic for NPR summed up the Glands well. To paraphrase, he said, "Maybe the glands aren't as glamorous or exciting as the heart, or the brain, but you need them just as much to live."

This self-titled cd by The Glands is one of those rare disks that actually elevates your mood. I can't help but feel bouyant after listening to it. I must've heard it a dozen times at my favorite hang-out here, and I liked it more with each listen.

The opening track, "Livin' Was Easy" gets the album off to an upbeat start, but there are some slower songs that capture that late night/early morning bar closing-time feel very familiar to Athens residents. Tom Petty-esque vocals and harmonica abound, along with some very nice guitar work. Standouts include the opening song, "Swim" (which my friend says reminds him of the Beatles, but recalls to my mind "Something Else" era Kinks), the sprightly "When I Laugh," "I Can See My House From Here," which is more or less a long groove track and "Favorite American." But I'm hard-pressed to choose a favorite; all the cuts are pretty enjoyable in one way or another.

This is straight-ahead American rock and roll in the classic Dylan/Byrds/Petty strain, with just a touch of British Invasion. It's chock-full of strong songwriting and muscular melodies you'll be singing along to in no time flat. One of the best Athens-based albums in years.

It helps, too, that I've had many a fun evening with this in the cd player. I hope you like it. I think you will.

I discovered the self-titled album by 'The Glands' about month ago. Hailing from Georgia, it combines lazy melodies (almost Grateful Dead-type vocals) with a bluesy gritty lo-fi sound in the same vein as Pavement, The Shins and Olivia Tremor Control. I remember a writer once describing Robbie Robertson and The Band's sound as 'smoked and aged in casks of oak', and that's kinda the impression I get with The Glands. An intimate, canned, guitar-based sound...with a biting sharp edge to it. It's not about quantity here, but about making every note count. Great album.

Somehow, The Glands bave managed to stay well below the indie radar. Why? Perhaps it's because there's nothing too glamorous about this band - five guys from Athens, GA, many who've been behind the knobs of some of the indie-rock world's better known artists. They have no gimmicks. No stage props. No costumes. Their biggest crime is focusing their energies into the music. Simply put, this is one damn catchy CD. Not a big believer at first, this cd just grew on me. It's a mix of Big Star, Pavement, Wayne Coyne of Flaming Lips and Tom Petty without sounding derivative. The Glands jump from one style of music to another without it being too much of a distraction. Instead of taking away from the flow of the cd, enhances it. So, if you're into taking blind chances on music, definitely consider this cd.

I'll just keep this short and sweet. This is one great batch of songs if you like strong melodies, and a slightly offbeat vocal. The Glands is on my best of 2000 list with Jules Shear, and Supergrass.

The Gland's debut "Double Thriller" has long been a quirky favorite in my record collection. However, this major label debut presents a Glands with a far more developed sound and much catchier, accessible songwriting. Though missing on this album are the very sloppy but deliciously dark tunes from the first album this album has an energy and a live raw sound all it's own. Still fairly dark "Mayflower" and "Ground" blow me away personally. Anthems like "Fortress" and "Work it Out" are great sing along classics instantly. The album ends with two lyrical and ambient sounding tracks bring the record to a peaceful conclusion. Another beautiful record from another great Athens band in the same calibre as Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, and Macha.

i was very excited to see this one in the used bin. it won the award for best athens, GA LP of the year a couple years ago, and most of my friends own it. the front man runs one of the record stores i use to frequent. as for the music, it's all over the map, touching on pavementy pop, jazz, darker folk. like so many other great athens bands of recent years, the glands do a great job here of creating an unassuming album that's easy on the ears but will open up wider and wider the more time you devote to it.

I read a review of this record in Spin, and heard "Livin' Was Easy" online. Based on that, I picked up the record, and I can't believe how good it is. They write really catchy songs, and have a sound that is real unique. I can't believe this record isn't getting more attention, so many alternative fans would really dig this record.

this athens, georgia band is amazing and this album proves it. this is probably the best music i've heard coming out of that town in a long time. seriously, if you have any kind of appreciation for music, go buy this album right now.

and just to let you know, i got a phone call last week letting me know that they're in the studio ready to make another.

get ready!

this album is incredible. the band sent me a promo copy a few months back, and it NEVER left my cd player until my entire stereo was stolen from my house in chapel hill. now i'm just waiting for my chance to buy a legit copy of it. beautiful songs. so catchy you'll be singing this stuff all day long. buy this record. then buy a copy for a friend. and for god's sake don't miss them live. best rhythm section since the jesus lizard, even though they don't sound like them. you know what i mean. i love the glands. they are good.