There's hundreds of bands that wind up getting looked over in the press because of their being affixed to some indie label or other, and in many cases, this is deserved. These indie labels are often the stepping stone while a band gets their act - and sound - together. However, one band that has their stuff together, now, is the Gladhands.
Based out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the three man band have released one of this year's masterpieces in the spirit of 70's AM radio meets 90's rock and roll. Thanking the Posies and Jellyfish in their liner notes is an introduction enough - but it seems like every corner band nowadays is paying homage to these late 80's bands. It's when listening to the disc that the realization that there's something magical occurring in their music.
The album opens with "Do You Have A Reservation", a single formerly released on Indelible Records, which perfectly captures the spirit of vocal harmonies and addictive riffs. As on all of their tracks, each member of the band contributes vocals, whether background or lead; Joe Caparo, Doug Edmunds and Jeff Carlson each take the forefront on at least one song.
But it's not just one song or track that makes this such a special album. Imagine Joe Jackson meeting Matthew Sweet, or if you were one of the few to catch them, the Grays recent Ro Sham Bo album. The Beatles on their Magical Mystery Tour album, spiced with liberal doses of addictive choruses...any comparisons make it seem that the Gladhands might be some second generation derivative band. But in reality, they use their ancestors' music only as an influence, and not as a ripoff band.
Other standout tracks on the album? Nearly every one could fit well into the format of a modern rock station; the current single, "Memory Box", is actually one of the weaker cuts with multi-part harmonies fading in and out of the picture.
I just can't give this album enough praise. If you're a fan of any of the above artists, search high and low to find the Gladhands. It's well worth the trouble to make sure this one *doesn't* wind up in obscurity.
