Customer Reviews

Shadowlands

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have two GH CD's. One is Lex Rex. Which I really liked a lot. I thought it was solid. Good music.

Shadowlands however, is a leap in songwriting ability. Much like Leftoverture was a leap by Kansas over their previous work Masque. The feeling is very majestic, and positive. It is not an easy thing for prog to convey without sounding cheesy, but GH does it with ease... and have done it with ease on other CD's. I must say that the production on this recording is completely superior to their last CD LEX REX, and I am not saying the production was bad on the last CD, but this one is just that much better... the sound is full and tight. Just like a good Prog band...

Every song on this CD really jumps out at you. The songs that floor me are Run Lisette and Behind the Great Beyond. The pipe organ in RL is just totally standout. It hits you right against your head in pleasentness. Anyone who likes keyboards will be treated to a REAL pipeorgan being used.

I love the way they blend in guitar and vocals. No instrument, sans pipe organ, really gets in the way of each other. Even vocals are chorused.

If you like symphonic progressive rock, in the vein of Yes and Kansas (and this CD is quite the blend of both) you will have to like this CD.

I read on the glasshammer web site that the pipe organ they found in N. Carolina is going to be on the next CD they record. So, this is a great thing for every symphonic fan of prog rock

Long live GH.

have fun

What I expected was another magical album from Glass Hammer and I got it. I was a little scared because Glass Hammer is a concept album band, and this is not a concept album. I'll tell you what though, you cannot even tell. Even though the songs do not follow each other, they somehow work together in perfect harmony to create yet another album that brings you to another world. Musically, Shadowlands is very similar to Lex Rex. As a matter of fact, the first song will seem like it could have been on Lex Rex, then you get hit with a real pipe organ. The vocals are great, the words are thoughtful concerning love, life, fate, and all of those things that have made Glass Hammer truely amazing. And the production is better than ever. There also is a fair amount of altering between male and female vocals, which in my opinion, compliments the album perfectly.

For those of you new to Glass Hammer, they are a keyboard based band. You will not hear much in the word of electric guitar chords. Electric guitars are used as solos, and at certain places to bring a little more power to the music. The best representation that I can give of their sound is early Genesis. They remind me of a seventies progressive rock band with modern recording equipment. This is a good thing, because their music encompasses prog in it's tuest form. They have a very unique style, and I would not recomend them to someone who thinks that modern rock is musically challenging. Expect this one, and their other material to take several listens before you can really appreciate what they have created. I would recomend this one as the first that you purchase. I think that it is a little more refined than their previous work, so is a little bit easier to listen to. Don't think though that this means that Shadowlands has lost the complexities that makes their music something that can be enjoyed for a long time. If you loved the early bands that shaped what prog is today, Shadowlands, and Glass Hammer in general is for you. Thank you for keeping prog alive Glass Hammer!

Prog rock is a genre I'd pretty much left behind in the 70s, having come to prefer jazz and tango. Procol Harum is one of the few bands from the past I continued to follow though they are not a prog band in the strictest sense of the word. In the past couple of years, however, I have been introduced to a number of fine modern bands that have rekindled my interest in prog with a vengeance. Glass Hammer is one of those.
The first GH CD I bought was Lex Rex. I liked it well enough to pick up a couple of others so I could get a wider sense of what the band is about. When Shadowlands was released, I ordered it expecting great things...and great things are what I got!
In Shadowlands, Glass Hammer combines all the best impulses of 70s prog with a 21st century sensibility. This CD is truly a musical feast for the discriminating listener. I liked most of it first listen through. My favorite cuts are Run Lisette and the epic Behind the Great Beyond. The virtuosity of these guys is astonishing!
I admit I smirked when I read the first reviewer's caustic comments about the inclusion of Dan Fogelberg's "Longer". My first reaction to it was similar to his. The song is commercial and more than a little cheesy, but Glass Hammer actually did a great job reworking it and making it a song that won't make you cringe when you hear it. Even those automatically disposed to sneer at pap will have to agree on hearing Glass Hammer's rendition that they have made it very listenable.

I highly recommend Shadowlands to any serious fan of prog rock. Sadly, it will probably never get the airplay it deserves, but the prog community can help to ensure that it gets heard by buying it and playing it for as many friends as possible. With nearly an hour of more great modern prog for your listening pleasure, this gets five easy stars.

All of Glass Hammer's offerings center on a strong central narrative, and Shadowlands conforms to that pattern. The animating story is that of Baron Marbot, an aide-de-camp to Napoleon during his eastern campaign, who, during the rout at Eylau, was assigned to convey retreat orders to several of the French units in the field. While doing this duty, Marbot was wounded near to death, but was saved by his mare Lisette.

Lisette was an unusually fiery beast who had literally killed a groom and had savaged all who came near to her. She was considered intractable, essentially untrainable, until Marbot purchased her. Though she remained tempestuous and difficult for others to manage, she was willing enough under Marbot's hand, even in the frenzy of battle. When Marbot, carrying retreat orders from one regiment to another astride Lisette, was knocked half-senseless by the grazing impact of a cannonball, and was converged upon by enemies intent on completing his demise, Lisette, though herself grievously wounded, trampled one and mortally tore another with her teeth before bearing her master away to safety.

As with last year's brilliant Lex Rex, the libretto to this story is simple and affecting. Because of the use of overlaid and cannonaded vocal sections, it's best to follow the music with the liner notes in hand.

The musical textures of Shadowlands beautifully track the stages of Marbot's adventure, from his departure from home, through his acquisition and training of Lisette, through the crisis on the battlefield and his subsequent period of convalescence and reflection. The composition is at times ethereal, foreboding, stirring, stately, whimsical, ironic, solemn and sweet. Glass Hammer's trademarked gift for melody and for complex shifts of meter is well displayed here, its power amplified by the exploitation of five skilled vocal contributors -- Walter Moore, Susie Bogdanowicz, Sarah Snyder, Flo Paris, and Bethany Warren -- the gorgeously resonant pipe organ of the First United Methodist Church of Waynesville, North Carolina, and the Adonia String Trio, a brand new element for a Glass Hammer composition which we may expect to recur in future work.

Shadowlands is filled with beauties. Narratively, it offers excitement, high drama, and mystical reflection. Musically, it's a showcase for a group of superb musicians who never exalt their egos above their material or their respect for it. The composition and performances leave nothing to be desired. Yet another triumph for Steve Babb, Fred Schendel, and the rest of the Glass Hammer crew.

Glass Hammer has improved steadily over the course of its seven albums, and, accordingly, Shadowlands represents its strongest effort to date (as of the time of this writing I have not heard their latest release, The Inconsolable Secret).

I've always appreciated Glass Hammer's enthusiasm in embracing their identity as a progressive rock band and, to a lesser extent, their ability to infuse Christian sensibilities into their music subtly enough as to not alienate a secular audience. However, in my opinion, the band was always plagued by certain shortcomings. Shadowlands, for the most part, successfully addresses these.

First of all, all five cuts on Shadowlands are strong with no real drop off in quality, something that has plagued even the group's later, stronger efforts. There is no sign of the "limpness" of some of their very earliest works-all the cuts are dynamic, melodious and grab the listener's attention, even in the softer parts. Some people have taken issue with the inclusion of Dan Fogelberg's "Longer"-and it probably is the weakest cut-but the arrangement is interesting and I think the band should get some kudos for doing something different.

The first two cuts, "So Close, So Far" and "Run, Lisette" are among the strongest compositions the group has ever recorded. "So Close, So Far" is complex but catchy, even as it moves through its distinct movements, "Run, Lisette" was the first cut I ever heard by this band and it absolutely grabbed my attention. In a musical genre where it becomes harder and harder to come up with something of note, I dare say "Run, Lisette" is unforgettable. The delivery of the story, well-documented in other reviews here, is heartfelt enough that the first few lines still manage to send chills up my spine. And I love the intricacies of the multi-layered vocals, male and female.

Which brings me to my next point-the vocals. Glass Hammer's vocals have always been kind of an issue with me-I think they absolutely wreck Chronometree in parts-but the incorporation of female vocalists, which began in earnest with Lex Rex (their previous release), is really what kicks Shadowlands into the stratosphere. In my opinion, there should be more female vocalists in prog, and that Glass Hammer utilizes as many as four on this album makes it distinctive.

If I have one complaint, it's that the drumming is a bit sub-par. I know that Glass Hammer is basically two people, keyboardist Fred Schendel and bassist Steve Babb, together with a number of for-hire musicians, and while I appreciate how far Schendel has come as a guitarist, I can't help but feel he's laboring as a drummer here. I understand the economic necessities that are probably driving these decisions (I think they had something to do with the band's past decisions on vocalists), but enlisting a studio drummer would be a prudent move.

All in all, I would recommend Shadowlands to any fan of progressive rock. The band is really carving out its own style, improving its songwriting and losing nothing in complexity. With the recent demise of Spock's Beard after Neal Morse's departure, they may be (and probably are) America's best practitioners of symphonic prog.

So maybe you listened to some Yes or Kansas when you were younger... maybe you still love progressive rock today- either way, what Tennesse-based "Glass Hammer" has done on this album will absolutely blow your mind! Screaming organs, lush beds of Mellotrons, soaring vocals, perfect drumming, and guitar is only the start of what you will find on this CD.

Did I mention the half-million dollar pipe organ?

Or maybe the string trio?

Glass Hammer doesn't merely emulate the roots of prog music that has come before it, they go push the boundries of symphonic prog to the limit.

The CD opens with "So Close, So Far," a great song that speaks of desire, and the never ending quest to attain it. Starting out with a pleasent acoustic guitar part, soon the rock organ comes in with a soaring synth part overtop. Glass Hammers smooth harmonies come in as we roll further along. A highlight of this song is the unique time signatures used, and the bridge leading into the final ending.

Next features a song entitled "Run Lisette," which honestly.... well.... It's about a hourse that disembowls people- but dont let that throw you- this peice alone is worth hearing because of the amazing REAL pipe organ featured in it. Also the female vocals about 3/4 through are incredible too.... watch for the incredble interplay between the vocal lines and the instruments.

"Farewell to Shadowlands" features smoooooth vocals, great synth parts and great chord progressions.

"Longer" starts out with a piano and organ part that completely catched you by suprise! It actually a 'cover' (and I use that term loosely) of Dan Fogelberg's song. Not your typical Glass Hammer song, and yet it fits the words perfectly. Great vocals on this one, and it's just fabulous how the melody line connects everything together.

"Behind the Great Beyond" is a mesmerizing song that takes you on a wonderful journey through almost Baroque piano and strings sections, to hauntingly beautiful classical guitar riffs. This 20 minute masterpiece is worth buying the cd JUST for. The song asks questions deep to the soul of us; of purpose, of wonder, of the path our life should take. Definately read the lyrics to this one! A masterful work, that shines in many places. One spot in particular- a plucked violin is point-counterpointing with a guitar and piano while the chords rise behind it. The vocals again are wonderful!

Glass Hammer's love of music comes through in so many places of this, and many times listening to it has lifted my spirit. Buy it! Be sure to also listen to 'Lex Rex' their previous work, it is a wonderfully done concpet album, and as a whole, more complete as a album.

When I heard Glass Hammer's previous album, Lex Rex, I could not conceive of any other album, by GH or anyone else, that would stand as rival. And yet Steve Babb and Fred Schendel kept claiming that this new album was better than anything they'd done yet. I did not believe them one bit.

But now, as I listen to Shadowlands for at least the twentieth time, it's a very tough call. Not only does this album feature some juicy pipe organ and a string trio, but every song pushes GH multi-vox (what we fans call GH's trademark vocals: layers of intricately interwoven voices) to a whole new level.

It may not be a concept album, but each song is a separate epic unto itself, especially the 21 minute "Behind the Great Beyond". As always, the lyrics are clever and entertaining, from a majestic questioning of man's approach toward life, to a horse that gores people, to the "group hug song", a prog-licious cover of Dan Fogelberg's "Longer". There are no weak songs. Whatever track you're listening to, Shdaowlands is 58 minutes of pure prog heaven, and well worth your time.

As for Lex Rex - I have both albums, and love them both! Deciding between them is like chosing between french silk or pecan pie! It can't be done.

Prog is alive and kicking and epic songs like the used to be made, are still among us and Glass Hammer created them. Shadowlands is their eigth album and yet again they managed to rise above their previous album. Prog wizards Steve Babb and Fred Schendel once again managed to create intricate melodies, epic songs and yet vintage sounds. Since 1992, these long time friends are making music together and with much success. A number of their albums are inspired by Tolkien, but you will also find several religious influences in their music. Babb and Schendel, besides composing, producing and mixing, they almost play all instruments and they both sing. But as on their previous albums, they once more invited several guests to brighten up the album.

The press release had as catch phrase: "Once more the Hammond screams and the Moog Soars! And how just this is! The identifying sound of Glass Hammer is the vast array of analogue synths and keyboards they use. In addition to that, on Shadowlands they play a half-million dollar pipe organ and include three piece string selection. The album is just under one hour, divided into 5 tracks, and immediately in the first track, 'So Close, So Far' already you hear lot's of Yes (`Close to the Edge'), Emmerson, Lake and Palmer and even some Camel (`Breathless') in the music. The sound of Glass Hammer can be compared to those bands, but are not alike! One of the strong points of Babb and Schendel are the vocal lines, in total 7 vocalists are involved, that mix and intertwine, without getting chaotic. This opening track `So Close, So Far' has a very nice instrumental piece, close to the end, where they even bring in a bit of laid back blues rock. `Run Lizette' features the pip organ, giving it a grand sound.

Shadowlands includes one cover, in my opinion in the vein of the Yes cover `America' from Simon and Garfunkel, as they poured it into their own style, yet you are able to recognize what song it is. Glass Hammer covers Dan Fogelberg's `Longer', but it will take you a little over two minutes before you hear the familiar melody! And along the way, the Glass Hammer sound takes over at times, turning this cover into a true Glass Hammer song. The album ends with the magnum opus of the album: `Behind the Great Beyond', an epic song of just over 20 minutes. This song opens with a classical piano tune, accompanied by strings, really taking you back in time. Without any doubt this is one of the greatest songs I have heard in a long time! Smooth guitar pieces, fantastic melody and it breathes a warm and pleasant atmosphere, despite the lyrics, which really make you think about the why and what of existence.

I have to be honest and say I absolutely love analogue synths, so one reason why Shadowlands is very high on my fav albums list, but besides that, the album is excellent and this highly recommended. The lyrics are thought of and the music is captivating. Nothing over the top, but everything balanced. In addition to the `glass' clear production, the artwork is noteworthy, as it is really beautiful! Congrats to Steve Babb and Fred Schendel for doing what others (like Yes) can't do: create another classic album, that will stand the test of time. And yes, prog is very much alive, with bands such as Glass Hammer.

Glass Hammer haven't got an original idea in their heads, but the ideas they do have make for often rich and enjoyable music. You'll hear lots and lots of symphonic prog clichés here, mostly cribbed from Yes. The Wakeman-esque Mellotron and synth arpeggios, the not-quite-Steve-Howe guitar work. It's all there. And that's Glass Hammer's strength and weakness rolled into one; they have firm roots, all right, and know how to play this kind of prog expertly. But unlike The Flower Kings, they don't feel much urgency to forge their own territory, preferring the comfort of the familiar. If that's what you prefer, you'll love this band.

I don't love them (yet), but I like them, since this is nice to listen to, after all. Album opener "So Close, So Far" sounds, at first, like it's all over the place, but once it's over you realize what a tightly composed track it was, despite its throwing one theme after another at you. The end result is a song fans of epic, big sounding prog will doubtless embrace. "Run Lisette" opens with some Chris Squire-y sounding bass (see what I mean?), but then a nice and unusual organ lick comes in, followed by soaring guitar that grounds the intro. The church organ (recorded in an actual church, you know, just like Wakeman did for Yes' "Awaken") sounds appropriately grand.

If there's an Achilles Heel to Glass Hammer's sound, it's in the unremarkable vocals. The vocals do come to life at times, as in the often stunningly beautiful interplay of several female singers on "Run Lisette". The addition of female backing vocalists is the one fresh idea Glass Hammer adds -- and, unlike that hag in Kaipa who brays like a donkey, Susie Bogdanowicz (who occasionally takes a lead) can carry a tune. But regular band members Steve Babb and Fred Schendel are only adequate singers. When you think of prog's best male vocalists over time -- Jon Anderson, Peter Gabriel, John Wetton, and others, all of whom have distinctive singing styles -- these guys are mostly just okay.

I like this album enough to check out other work by the band, and I'm glad I discovered them. "Run Lisette" is already in heavy rotation on my iPod.

Glass Hammer is a treasure! Since rediscovering my love for progressive (melodic, lush, epic and extended keyboard driven music with many instrumental sections) one of the biggest pleasures has been unearthing aural treasures like 2002's classic must-buy Lex Rex CD-a concept album about a Roman Centurion on a quest for glory that finds himself meeting Glory Incarnate as he pierces Christ's side with a spear. I read of Glass Hammer on National Review's web site in a very favorable review by S.T. Karnick, downloaded a free mp3 from Amazon.com and quickly found myself enchanted. I liked the music so much I purchased the entire catalog. I am still pleasantly surprised that one of my favorites CDs of 2002 was this classic progressive rock concept CD from an Indy group from Chattanooga Tennessee led by multi-instrumentalists/vocalists/producers/record company owners Steve Babb and Fred Schendel.

Shadowlands (title inspired by C.S. Lewis), the latest from Glass Hammer is five tracks of wonderfully melodic classic-style (ala' Yes, Genesis, Kansas, Gentle Giant, Emerson, Lake and Palmer) progressive rock steeped in memorable keyboard sections, lush Mellotron beds and multiple vocalists with interesting layered harmonies. The album kicks off with "So Close, So Far" featuring a spiffy mellow break, hooks-a-plenty, a guitar/keyboard break that will draw the listener in and that rich, booming bass sound that is featured on many classic prog-rock releases. "Run Lisette" is built on a majestic pipe organ foundation and features lyrics (sung by Walter Moore and Susan Bogdanowicz) from a true story about a murderous horse and the master she runs to save-a French Lieutenant fighting in a bloody battle in France. "Lisette" is notable for Glass Hammer's trademark layered vox-up to 3 different lyric lines sung by different vocalists. "Farewell to Shadowlands" showcases a lyrical meditation on faith with female vocals from Susan Bogdanowicz.

Shadowlands closes with two standout tracks. The incredible near ten-minute rendition of the 70's light rock classic "Longer" from Dan Fogelberg (described in an interview with Steve Babb and Fred Schendel as "America via Yes"). Steve and Fred take the song by Fogelberg and wrap it in playful keyboard parts and hook-laden vocal harmonies. The final cut is a progressive rock epic spanning 20 plus minutes called "Behind the Great Beyond" with a classical piano intro, stunning string sections and lyrics focusing on finding the Answer (with a capital "A") to life. Midway into the song an unforgettable ethereal classical guitar interlude leads to the lyrical climax of the song:

Try-try and dismiss what it says
Even if you wanted to wrap your head around:
Just the sheer size of it all-
Better ignore it instead.
Why? Why would a person waste time
Chasing for things that have nothing to do
With the business of staying alive- Better to wait 'till your dead
Try-try and not hear the voice
Telling you if you will not hear, will not see,
Will not choose which way to go-you still have made a choice

Shadowlands is a pleasant and memorable album that will have you scrambling to press the repeat button. The music has a timeless quality, a classic feel and a strong emphasis on melody that will be enjoyed by a broad range of listeners-young and old, male and female (Steve Babb revealed in an interview that Glass Hammer has a large female fan base-unusual for a prog-band). The CD is well produced and the sound is rich and sparkling. My only minor qualm with the CD is a drum machine sound in a few spots, but this is only a slight quibble with an otherwise well conceived and executed CD.

Glass Hammer is a group that deserves to be shared and heard by the masses and celebrated by Christians as an example of believers who create art without compromise. They don't consider themselves "Contemporary Christian artists" and don't get preachy on their projects...but their strong faith and creativity are evident in their works. Glass Hammer's lyrics over the course of their CD catalog focus diverse topics such as faith, the quest for Truth and Glory (Lex Rex), literary themes (from "Run Lisette's" historical battle with horses that kill to C.S. Lewis), Tolkien's Middle Earth (Journey of the Dunadan & the Middle-Earth Album) and Science Fiction (Chronometree)-all wrapped in unforgettable and timeless music.

Take some time to explore Glass Hammer and their latest project Shadowlands today-you won't regret it! Read more about the band at http://www.glasshammer.com