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Glimmer (album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Glimmer
Studio album by
Released1996
GenreRock
LabelRoadrunner[1]
ProducerNiko Bolas
Kevin Salem chronology
Soma City
(1994)
Glimmer
(1996)
Ecstatic
(2001)

Glimmer is an album by the American musician Kevin Salem, released in 1996.[2][3] Salem supported the album by opening for the Connells on a North American tour.[4]

Production

[edit]

The album was produced by Niko Bolas.[5] Frank Sampedro played guitar on several tracks; David Mansfield played steel guitar on "Trouble".[6][7] Todd Thibaud also contributed to Glimmer.[8] Salem was attracted to depressing subject matter and strove to capture a "sloppy" sound in the studio.[6]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Boston Herald[10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[11]
Orlando Sentinel[7]
The Tampa Tribune[12]

The Washington City Paper thought that "the scrupulously tailored verse-chorus cadence of Glimmer's anthems feels so immediately familiar that Salem could probably make a mint ghost-writing for Tom Petty."[13] The Austin Chronicle stated that "Glimmer is loaded with big guitars—chunky, Seventies-style arena-rock rhythms (think Joe Perry sans high-dollar production) with indie tones and guitar-noodling solos."[14] The Tampa Tribune wrote: "Tom Petty with indie credibility for those hipsters who are too embarrassed to admit that Damn the Torpedoes rocks."[12]

Stewart Lee, of The Sunday Times, declared that "beautiful, compelling, nerve-shattering lead-guitar lines snake and spiral over clean and uncluttered rhythm parts, never resorting to simple effects-pedal overload"; Lee later listed Glimmer as the best album of 1996.[15][16] The St. Paul Pioneer Press thought that "Salem's tough/tender tunes, guitar wizardry and no-frills, all-thrills band just might set you on an endless road trip."[17] The Boston Herald deemed it "a screamer of an album that works the intersection of heartland rock 'n' roll and guitar-driven alternative rock."[10] The Press-Telegram considered Glimmer to be the fifth best album of 1996.[18]

AllMusic wrote that Salem's "serious but not humorless lyrics have an almost novelistic detail to them, especially on the haunting 'Chemical Night Train', and the band ... rocks throughout."[9]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleLength
1."Run Run Run" 
2."Innocence" 
3."Pray for Rain" 
4."Chemical Night Train" 
5."Underneath" 
6."Sleep" 
7."Number Seven" 
8."All on Trial" 
9."Always" 
10."Damned" 
11."Trouble" 
12."Destructible" 

References

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  1. ^ "Kevin Salem". Trouser Press. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Kevin Salem Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-11-18. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  3. ^ "Kevin Salem – Soul of gold". No Depression. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  4. ^ "Connells, Frat-House Favorites, Bring Jangly Pop Rock to Toad's". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on 2021-11-18. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  5. ^ Verna, Paul (Aug 3, 1996). "Glimmer". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 31. p. 89.
  6. ^ a b Sullivan, Jim (12 Sep 1996). "Solo Salem". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 36.
  7. ^ a b Gettelman, Parry (30 Aug 1996). "Kevin Salem, Glimmer". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 7.
  8. ^ Lozaw, Tristram (August 9, 1996). "Boston Beat". Boston Herald. p. S16.
  9. ^ a b "Glimmer". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-11-18. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  10. ^ a b Convey, Kevin R. (August 2, 1996). "Discs – 'Glimmer' shines with hot guitars". Boston Herald. p. S19.
  11. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 230.
  12. ^ a b Johnson, Rommie (August 2, 1996). "Kevin Salem, Glimmer". Friday Extra!. The Tampa Tribune. p. 21.
  13. ^ "Glimmer". Washington City Paper. October 4, 1996. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  14. ^ "Record Reviews". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2021-11-18. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  15. ^ Lee, Stewart (22 Sep 1996). "Kevin Salem Glimmer". Features. The Sunday Times. p. 1.
  16. ^ Lee, Stewart (December 22, 1996). "Records of the year". Features. The Sunday Times. p. 32.
  17. ^ Walsh, Jim (August 1, 1996). "Kevin Salem, 'Glimmer'". St. Paul Pioneer Press. p. 8C.
  18. ^ Grobaty, Tim (December 20, 1996). "Sending Out Our Lorv". Press-Telegram. p. W2.