Glassjaw - Worship and Tribute

Review by Sean Campbell

Barely two years ago, Long Island progressive hardcore quintet Glassjaw released what proved to be one of THE albums of 2000, "Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence". A raw, bloody, brutally honest yet, at times, incredibly beautiful album, it provided a much needed kick up the backside to the horrible rap-metal scene prevalent at the time. Dealing with frontman Daryl Palumbo's life. his relationships and his debilatating and life-threatening Crone's disease, the album was a truly intense experience. But it's been two years, a long time for a band to grow and progress. And "growth" and "progression" certainly are overwhelmingly evident in the bands new long-player, "Worship and Tribute", a jaw-droppingly astounding work of music. In the two years since their debut, the Glassjaw world has changed, on a personal and a global scale. On a personal level, the band has went through line-up changes (the departures of drummer Sammy Siegler and bassist Manuel Carrero, replaced respectively by Larry Gorman and Dave Allen), a legal debacle with Roadrunner, and a near disbandment. On a global scale, the world was shocked by the horrific events of September 11, an event which affected Glassjaw incredibly, what with the Twin Towers situated mere miles from each members homes. Indeed, these factors must have something to do with the fact that Glassjaw have produced a sophomore album that encompasses a wider range of emotions, more twists, turns and sudden drops than their debut, replacing their raw sound with an altogether more mature approach. Opener "Tip Your Bartender" is the closest this album comes to recreating the pure aggression that ran right through EYEWTKAS, with Daryl screaming "This is a war! Sober up!" with enough intensity to make eyes bleed, before giving way to an incredibly melodic chorus, an oft-used trick that Glassjaw breathe new life into, making it sound so natural you could believe they invented it. The raging dual-guitar approach previously explored is shown to it's full potential, with guitarists Justin Beck and Todd Weinstock producing abrasive riffs, walls of distorted wah-wah and even lush, beautiful melodies, proving that they contain huge talent and even greater vision than their more-respected contemporaries. However, the one member who really does come into his own to devastating effect on this record is Palumbo. While his catharcic scream is still very much in place (see "Pink Roses", epic album closer "Two Tabs Of Mescaline"), his knack for a great tune has evolved incredibly over the past two years, as has his vocal diversity. "Ape Dos Mil" showcases his lush, tuneful voice, recalling Mike Patton at his most melodic, while the quirkily-titled "Gillette Cavalcade of Sports" has him ranting, sports announcer stylee over a galloping bassline. Other stand-out tracks include jawdropping first single "Cosmopolitan Bloodloss", an incredibly catchy-yet-heavy number that looks set to propel Glassjaw into the limelight, the punky "Radio Cambodia", which delves into Palumbo's attitude to 9/11 ("i'm not impressed by which dialect marches best/or who reaches heaven in what order/when oiur kids are baptised in mortar") and the moving "Must've Run All Day". So, gone is the brutal, raw and rough round the edges Glassjaw of old, this is new, improved and breathtaking Glassjaw. They have created an album of light, shade, depth and beauty, showing a maturity expected possibly from a much older band, not one whos frontman is a mere 23. It appears, with highly successful stints on the US Ozzfest and the Vans Warped Tour under their belts, the only way for Glassjaw is up. And they damned well deserve it.