Fuzzy, Catchy Rock & Roll
Guestroom Records – August 4, 2017
Cereal Glyphs’ self-titled record was one of my favorite that came out in 2015 – Andy Myers did a great job blending super-catchy riffs and melodies with an energetic, DIY aesthetic. The Second Hand finds Cereal Glyphs fleshed out into a larger band, adding a little more edge to the sound, while maintaining a knack for catchy rock.
“Get Up” opens the album with lots of energy as Myers sings “I’m never hurried, I’m never worried – I’ve found another way” – warped guitars plunge behind things during each chorus. My favorite of the album is the ultra-intense “I Wanna Be Your Hand,” which finds the band unified in rhythm and force during each chorus, and is all but guaranteed to get stuck in your head. “Passion’s Not Enough” was released early from the album – it’s driven by a heavily overblown bass, and carries with it a great amount of momentum throughout the song.
Many of the songs on the second half of the album are taken from Cereal Glyphs, and when you listen to the original right next to its remake, you get a real sense of the extra edge and heft on The Second Hand. “The Well” is one of the more mellow tracks on the album, but still feels a lot fuller and weightier than its original recording. “Count the Night” was my favorite on Cereal Glyphs, and it’s one of my favorites here, too – it opens with a dramatic pairing of low, whirring synths and guitar before it takes off a full speed. “Dead Beat” is even faster, and benefits quite a bit from the noisy fullness of a larger band. Closing the album is “Belly of the Snake,” a track that starts off as the most mellow and psychedelic of the album before it takes off for a high-speed outro towards the album’s end.
Those that heard and enjoyed Cereal Glyphs should really like this – it’s every bit as clever and tough to get out of your head, but a noisier band adds some intensity that makes this album even more fun than the last. The Second Hand has a huge amount of energy and momentum – each song moves seamlessly from section to section, and it doesn’t waste a single moment.
Tracks I Liked: Get Up!, I Wanna Be Your Hand!!!, Passion’s Not Enough!, Count the Night!!, Dead Beat!!, Belly of the Snake!
Ben Southworth – August 13, 2017 – Post Road
