Post-hardcore and emo are two words that regularly get banded about, especially seeing as though a number of albums from these supposed genres have hit the mainstream this year. But one record, released during 2000, will not break the mainstream in a hurry. Glassjaw‘s debut full-lengther, is however, one of the defining moments in post-hardcore history.
Yes, this is produced by the Ross Robinson, but anyone expecting some shitty nu-metal band is going to be very disappointed. Because ‘Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence’ is one of the most dynamic and intracite records you will ever hear. Mix Jimmy Eat World with the harshness of the Deftones and you pretty much get Glassjaw. It’s New York hardcore with a brain.
‘Pretty Lush’ sets the scene for the entire album. Hardcore vocals, at times as melodic as anything you’ve ever heard, then three seconds later they are razor sharp. The song itself is one of the more accessible on the CD, with Daryl Palumbo singing on most of the track. I’m not a big fan of ‘grunting’ in hardcore, so when Daryl uses his amazing voice Glassjaw really do hit the spot.
‘Siberian Kiss’ continues in a similar mould, with the opening vocals incredibly vicious. Screams combine with some cut-throat guitars and powerful drumming, before parts really mellow out and sound beautiful. You want the two extremes in a song? Well Glassjaw give it to you. And most of the time it works really, really well. The cleverly titled ‘When One Eight Becomes Two Zeros’ follows up next with a strirring bass intro, and is a fine example of the bands superb lyrical ability. A song about a difficult break-up, it’s very easy to empathise with what is going on and Daryl’s distinctive vocals really push Glassjaw to the forefront of the post-hardcore scene. And Nona [who the song is dedicated to] must really have broken someone’s heart…
‘Ry Ry’s Song’ is another cool song, oozing melody yet keeping up the hardcore elements. ‘Lovebites and Razorlines’ is much heavier, before mellowing out about 25 seconds in. The clever use of sexual imagery within the song also gives it big bonus points, as with all Glassjaw songs, the lyrics are abstract yet paint a perfect picture of what is really going on. ‘Hurting and Shoving’ is even heavier, with Ross Robinson’s influences really shining through. Not a great song, but you can really sense the emotion and the pain in Daryl’s voice, and that is the signature of a great band.
A definite highlight is the melodic ‘Majour’, which really shows the quality of the vocals. Again, the mixture of singing and screaming works really well, and you can tell where new Drive-Thru signings Finch take their influences from. The songs continue at a snail’s pace for ‘Her Middle Name Was Boom’, which is also another good track. Pushing more towards emo rather than hardcore, it just adds to the bands versatility showing that they can write songs of this quality, as well as the harder, more edgy songs.
‘Piano‘ could well be autobiographical [“Three times alone this week, I was supposed to be a rock star”] but whatever it is, it rocks. Glassjaw really don’t rate women that highly, and the descriptive beating of a girl [“I only beat you when I’m drunk, you’re only pretty when you’re crying”] adds fuel to the fire, along with the numerous references to whores and rape. ‘Babe’ is frenetic with some superb drumming, and the CDs title track, ‘Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence’ is possibly the most dynamic song on the entire record. Mixing melody with pure unadulterated hardcore, this song has it all. And then some. Album closer ‘Motel Of The White Locust’ is the closest thing to Slipknot on the CD, without venturing into comedy. With a punishing riff and some more exquisite drumming, Daryl’s vocals are really on edge. And the song needs to be heard to be believed. Ending with the refrain “pack your shit and leave, and take my memories of her with you” is pretty eerie, yet almost the perfect way to close.
Glassjaw won’t be to everyone’s taste. But they are pretty much the pioneers of the post-hardcore scene, and if they continue like this, there will be no stopping them.
Paul