Twenty-two studio albums into their career, Glass Hammer still have the capacity to surprise. While there have been thematic groupings of albums (think Tolkien, Skallagrim, or the Jon Davison years), Glass Hammer have managed to evade being pigeon-holed into a particular stylistic identity. Each album for the most part diverges from what came before, trying on a new skin aided and abetted by a plethora of new musicians and vocalists along the way. No one can accuse the band of not being small-p “progressive”. Through it all, they absorb their influences while sounding like no one else in particular.
Glass Hammer have never been apologetic about their Christian faith either, which has been a thread in much of their lyrical output. Unlike Neal Morse, who can be at times as subtle as a brick to the face (don’t get me wrong – even in his most fervent religious moments the man still has my attention), for Steve Babb and Fred Schendel their faith has been more of a guiding star. This time around, though, as detailed in the story notes accompanying the lyrics, the Christian concept of death is front and center. Rogue tells the story of a man leaving his loved ones behind, on a journey he knows he must make alone. The story is universal in its humanity, dealing with bitter regrets, what-ifs, and – of course – love. Steve Babb is a skilled story teller, and Rogue is one of his best, dealing as it does with the human condition we all share.
Going back to a more song-based approach, Rogue has the immediacy of the short song format last visited on the unfairly maligned Three Cheers For The Broken Hearted. Yet its antecedents are not what you might expect, unless you were expecting 80s synth pop, New Age, and dance music mixed with your prog. The opening notes of What If alert you that this is not going to be just another Glass Hammer album. I’ll be damned if those synth tones are not directly out of Lanz and Speer’s New Age classic Behind The Waterfall (in my opinion, not a bad thing at all). Even this proves deceptive, as the song morphs into a Jon Anderson melodic story-song vibe. By the time the song’s five minutes have elapsed, we have been treated to folksy strummed guitar, electronica, New Age and unapologetic prog. Oliver Day’s searing lead guitar sits atop dense synth banks, but it’s the vocals that are front and centre, giving the tune a more – dare I say – commercial approach. Through it all, Day emulates Steve Howe and thereby lifts the song out of what might have been the mundane, giving it wings. I can’t help but miss the voices of Jon Davison and Susie Bogdanowicz, but the turn to “everyman” vocals keeps the song and the story grounded and keeps the focus on the song itself. Tomorrow is much more familiar musical territory, with synths, tubular bells and a strong bass line lending a semblance of grandeur. Even the lyrics are hopeful: “God is watching over all you do / His eye is on the sparrow and on you / Hold on and never let go / Never lose your faith in your Father / And all will be fine / All will be fine”.
Olivia Thorpe brings her unique vocal talents to Pretty Ghost, defying comparisons to anyone else in the GH stable. She brings an undeniable pop edge to the song, but that edge is consistently subverted by the sorts of twists and turns you expect on a prog album. The ghost of the 80s hangs heavily over Sunshine. It’s a little bit jarring to hear a female voice singing the thoughts of the male protagonist, but it works well with the sentimentality of the tune. Fred Schendel’s lap steel workout heightens the Yes vibe, but the rest of the instrumental accompaniment feels like it takes a back seat in order to allow the vocals to step to the fore. I Will Follow sticks with the 80s feel; I particularly like the layered vocals. The guitars handle most of the lead melodically, but it’s the keyboards that really do the heavy lifting, filling the sonic spectrum with sounds alternately familiar and unexpected. Speaking of unexpected, with an alternative mix, The Wonder Of It All could be a dance floor rave-up. When the vocals come in, I can’t help but think of latter day Alan Parsons. The melody is full of hooks, and yet the song retains a sombre feel as the protagonist sings: “Now I’m feeling kinda sad, yeah, I’m feeling kinda blue / ‘Cause I’ve waited all this time just to be with you / We could climb the stairs of gold / For there are wonders there to behold / I can see the gates swing open / Swinging open wide / Will you love me forever? Welcome me inside?”
Unabashedly New Age, the instrumental One Last Sunrise is not nearly as treacly as the title might suggest. The melody and drum machine add bite. It’s a beautiful complement to the idea of seeing loved ones in your final hours. Babb turns to space rock for Terminal Lucidity, the album’s opus. Its varying moods and sounds are like the proverbial review of one’s life; comforting one minute, turbulent the next. Babb throws everything he has at this, but never loses sight of the whole. Reese Boyd’s guitar solo is magnificent, as is Ariel Perchuk’s Middle Eastern tinged synth excursion. As the song wraps up, the short vocal section is a hymn to resignation: “Can’t do a thing – We know – We walk alone”. The unresolved piano sequence at the conclusion reflects our inability to say all we want to before it’s too late.
Rather than end on a melancholy note, All Good Things is full of acceptance, both for what has passed and what lies ahead. The tone of the song is fittingly mysterious, particularly in the extended instrumental passages. Still, the music and mood are hopeful and positive and ultimately steeped in prog.
This far into a band’s career, you might expect them to coast on their past successes. Not so with Glass Hammer. Every new album is another road to travel down and see where it leads. Lucky for us, Steve Babb has made some wise choices and taken us on a journey of a lifetime – his and ours.
TRACK LISTING
01. What If (5:20)
02. The Road South (5:08)
03. Tomorrow (4:36)
04. Pretty Ghost (4:37)
05. Sunshine (6:11)
06. I Will Follow (5:00)
07. The Wonder Of It All (7:20)
08. One Last Sunrise (3:35)
09. Terminal Lucidity (10:19)
10. All Good Things (8:45)
Total Time – 60:51
MUSICIANS
Steve Babb – Lead & Backing Vocals, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Taurus Pedals, Guitars, Percussion
Thomas Jakob – Lead & Backing Vocals
Olivia Thorpe – Lead & Backing Vocals
Fred Schendel – Guitar (3), Lap Steel Guitar (5)
Reese Boyd – Guitar Solo (9)
David Walliman – Lead Guitar (1)
Oliver Day – Guitars, Lap Steel Guitar (2, 3, 6 & 10)
Atillio Calabrese – Lead Guitar (7)
Ariel Perchuk – Synth Solos (9 & 10)
Randall Williams – Drums
Evgeni Obruchkov– Drums
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Independent
Country of Origin: USA
Date of Release: 11th April 2025
LINKS
Glass Hammer – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | X | Instagram
