Just before I started the Best of 2021, I posted about 10 wonderful albums that wouldn't appear because I'd run out of Review time. I did say that I'd get around to reviews and here's the first. Putting on my best Patrick Swayze voice, no one should put Glowbox in a corner.
People occasionally ask what Pop Rock is. I suppose it consists of albums that branch out away from the Power Pop template, slightly noisier affairs without ever venturing into plank spanking, not afraid of Guitar solos, but ensuring they fit in with the song. Maybe bordering on AOR without the banality and having the ability and versatility to branch into other genres.
That description just about sums up this Boston quartet. There's a lot of Guitar on show here, but none of it is in your face, all of it is wonderfully melodic, restrained even and the Guitar Solos never outstay their welcome, splendid though they are.
If others pick up on the glory of Your Call Is Very Important To Us, I expect some slightly lazy Cheap Trick comparisons and you can find them if you search hard enough, but Glowbox are less shouty and far more varied. They inhabit a world somewhere between the UK Pop Rock of the late 70's, even a bit Brit Pop and a more West Coast Jangle Rock.
That Jangle is particularly rife on Don't Give Up On Me. but elsewhere Comfort Zone is straight ahead Not Lame Territory. Lonely Little World borders on West Coast Country Rock, yet Here We Go Again has more than a hint of Psych Pop.
Here are 10 songs that are all as chipper and joyful as each other. Special Mention though should be given to the closer, Test Of Time, the nearest the band get to Power Pop and the storming Jazz Town which is a killer of a song. Glowbox have fashioned up a melodic gem of an album. Highly Recommended!
You can listen to and buy the album here.
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Nice stuff and produced/engineered by David Minehan of Boston's loveable Neighborhoods!
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