What are we talking about?
In this piece we discuss instrumental and adventurous Liverpool Band Glossom and their dreamlike E.P ‘Verbatim’
What hooked me?
First I saw and heard of Glossom was a video (more on that later) sent down from on high at Yeah Buddy! towers. With regards to sound it was the unexpected blaring of brass that hooked me and the all-round instrumental intricacy with which the track ‘A To Do’ opens with.
Key moments
Ok People, I’ve been tasked with reviewing the E.P as a whole we’re going to go through this track by lovely track.
A To Do – The opener is important to any record. Within the first 10 seconds of this track you’re introduced to each instrument. The punchy accents after are incredibly cool right up until the mini build up at around 0.50. At 1.26 the coolest bass riff you’ve never heard on a cruise ship kicks in leading to the jangly middle section of the song before calm is restored and them cool accents return. A lot happens very quickly in this song but it doesn’t ever become messy.
Waves – The longer track on the E.P starts in a more mellow and minor fashion than some of the others. The brass kicks in and the vision of an evening somewhere in Europe in the 40’s solidifies in your mind. You’re in some bar trying to remember something important but then you don’t care because this boss song is playing.
Particle – The drums on this track are excellent. Particularly from 1:45-1:55, complex yet complimentary, what every truly wishes to be.
No, Not Really – Drum intro alert (get in!) followed by staccato notes all belting in from the rest of the band before giving way to a beautiful bit of delay work by the guitar. The pauses and breaks in the next section of the song are something to behold. The tightness of these five musicians is to be admired.
Here Before – Daydream Guitar intro. The Guitar on this whole record is stunning, I’ve played for 12 years and I’ve got no idea what this guy is doing, whatever it is it really is very good.
This song meanders wistfully through different sections never losing the brightness it came in with. At 3.01 the music on the whole becomes a sound of towering joy and for the next 20 seconds or so you can just see people dancing to it, I certainly want to and I’m not a dancing man. Beautiful outro too, almost like closing your eyes at the end of an enjoyable day.
Something Will Come Up – Whilst not amongst the video releases this track was sent to me by the operatives at music review HQ so review it I will.
The starry intro we’ve become accustomed to slowly builds with them damn fine brasses then unexpectedly around 0.42 some mutha hubbard starts singing! And singing well I should add. It complements the song while not detracting anything from the instruments. It shows the band have other weapons in their already well equipped arsenal. All the songs work well without vocals but having an occasional one with them really adds to mostly instrumental bands. Mogwai, while a very different band to Glossom, are probably the best example of such things.
Song ends with brass fading, bass lingering melodically, guitar ending its complex pattern in harmonic fashion and the drums with one last ring of the ride bell. A very good, complete song, like every song on the E.P.
Videos
In this section we’re going to discuss the videos as promised earlier. (available at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcM5LBKjo1oEJtULHFdwf9Q for those of you reading online) Each beautifully directed and shot by Edwin Louis and Calum Young. Glossom in their inventiveness (there’s a lot of that) decided to record a series of performance videos at Elevator Studios in Liverpool. A great and atmospheric place to record if ever you get the chance to. The videos each are filmed mostly in an otherworldly half-darkness with pink light punctuating the eventide feel created. The videos are purely performance based, intercut with occasional discussion from the band at the start. While many music videos since MTV began aim to tell a story these here don’t. The music and performance is the story in itself. After listening to the E.P to see its rhythms and intricacies performed in front of me added to the whole experience. The Videos compliment the songs perfectly.
Feedback
This E.P is a beautiful thing. It’s truly unique in its surroundings. No band is quite doing what Glossom do in this country let alone in Liverpool (not that I’ve heard anyway). The band manage to create quite a picture with their music, the brass colouring in the beautiful outline the Bass and Drums create while the guitar fascinates and forms from the front. Glossom remind me a lot of Do Make Say Think and Jaga Jazzist with their arrangements, each song being like a journey in itself, a journey with cool Jazz breaks. While the aforementioned Canadian and Norwegian outfits have enough members between them to form a football team plus subs, Glossom, surprisingly, for how big and elegant they sound at times, only have enough to form a 5 a-side.
Comparisons to other instrumental bands are inevitable. One thing (of many) Glossom have over other bands are the song lengths. They’re perfect. Where some bands who focus more on instrumentation have a tendency to get lost musically and lose the listener’s ear based attention, Glossom don’t. Each track is interesting, innovative, and, rather importantly, concise. You get a full feel of each track, enough to satisfy your ears and want to hear more.
Also, Vitally, this band are tight! The songs have weird structures with weird parts within weird parts and Glossom remain perfectly in time. The musicianship of the members really does add to an already impressive E. P
Things this band are tighter than:
- A Submarine Door
- That mate of yours who never gets the round in
- An inappropriate simile about your sister
Summary
I’m a fan of instrumental music but this sound goes beyond that, It’s instantly appreciable; regardless of musical taste there will be something in them first few dreamy bars of any song that will get you swaying. The music evokes imagery, the rhythms make you want to move, the sounds make you want to play. 'Verbatim' deserves recognition for many years to come. Listen to it, catch these guys live, watch the videos. Britain has had a few lost years with regards to instrumental music Glossom may well be about to put an emphatic end to that.
Line From the Band
Guitarist Alex Cottrell told us the following:
"I think deciding to record our next release live was the best decision we ever made, it minimised the frills and brought focus to the writing and performing. Elevator was an inspiring environment too, and Edwin - the videos' director - created a striking set out of the final footage. We're really grateful to anyone who has listened to our work and seen us live over the years, and I hope 'Verbatim' is a welcome reciprocation."
Vital Info
‘Verbatim’ can be downloaded for free at: https://glossom.bandcamp.com/album/verbatim
and https://soundcloud.com/glossom/sets/verbatim-2016
Full playlist of videos:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLp21ImFpFIqvvRkp5QscaHmTH66rvrejX
Twitter: @glossomband
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glossomband
Reviewer Profile:
Kenn Rushworth. He writes poems, he plays drums for Forever in Debt, he played at left back in the ’97 Dortmund champions league winning squad, he lied about that last one, he can’t find his keys.