Glimmer (album)

Last updated
Glimmer
Glimmer (album).jpg
Studio album by
Released1996
Genre Rock
Label Roadrunner [1]
Producer Niko 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]

Contents

Production

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

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [9]
Boston Herald Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Orlando Sentinel Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
The Tampa Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [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

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" 

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References

  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. 1 2 Sullivan, Jim (12 Sep 1996). "Solo Salem". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 36.
  7. 1 2 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. 1 2 "Glimmer". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-11-18. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  10. 1 2 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. 1 2 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.