The Second Glance – S/T
I’d never heard of TSG before this release. A self recorded CD by 4 Canadian fellas, each big on their music, and each having spent time earning their music grades (all higher end if their website serves me correctly). The CD has some of the blandest, yet boldest artwork I’ve ever seen, and it all contributes to one of the better packages I’ve received for review.
The CD is a full album, consisting of summer style pop punk, with a hint of tragedy. There are 2 exceptionally bold comparisons to be made instantly as soon as you’ve finished heard the first track, and that would be No Use For A Name and The Ataris. Considering I’m not a fan of either band, the remainder of this review is looking pretty disastrous for these 4. The production is neat, and polished, and for every intention the guys want you to believe they recorded this in a bedroom in “long recording sessionsâ€, but to be honest, it’s well mixed and as polished as dining room mahogany. I like it, strong guitar tones, subtle bass and drums which have the non-compressed, yet strong sound a set of toms should have. A credit to them.
As for the songs themselves, whilst they’re pop punk styled, they’re most definitely oozing a little tragedy in each one. They’re love songs with beautiful lyrics and the high notes that never squeak or falter, and are pushed from the diaphragm and not squeaked out from the lips. Have I mentioned that the drumming is superb? Because it most certainly is.
The whole album flows. Whether it’s the choice of track order, or the fade into the final track from the acoustic effort, this release is superb. I’ve never been a fan of this style of love tragedy pop punk, but this is certainly the best effort I have ever heard. It’d be difficult to can this review into a closing paragraph without saying it is one of the finest released CD’s I’ve heard this year, and one that has steadily been in my CD player for weeks. It’s unpretentious pop rock and it’s well delivered. If you can find this for sale anywhere, pick it up.
www.thesecondglance.com
www.purevolume.com/thesecondglance
Lurch