It's still early in 2008, but Edison Glass' “Time is Fiction” could very well end up at the top of many people's “Best of” lists at the end of the year. The Long Island quartet has put together a modern rock masterpiece with their newest album, flexing their musical muscles in ways many bands can only dream.
The disc hits the ground running with the energetic and poppy “Let Go.” The opening melody is incredibly catchy and cleverly written. While the singer comes in quickly, he opts not to clash with the guitarist's rapid strumming and utilizes a drawn out style of singing, eventually meshing brilliantly with the higher back-up/co-singing voice. The band then continues on with a choppy interlude and gang-vocals, which leads into a low-to-high singer trade-off in the next verse. At the end of the verse it builds quickly into a drop-out where the gang-vocals return (but in a sing-songy manner) to compliment the higher vocals, creating a feeling of being surrounded. The effect is particularly strong when the soulful wailing joins the fray. The song's closing brings back the opening guitar riff and combines it with gang vocals that shout "Let! Let go!"
“Cold Condition” continues the trend of having a catchy opening guitar riff, though it sounds nothing like the one in the previous track. While the opening is upbeat, the song changes pace a little when it hits the verse and sounds a little like it's stomping around. The harmonies in the singing are spot-on but most importantly interesting, especially during the elongated “Whoa!” found in the chorus. “Without a Sound” plays a little more with tension and ends up feeling a bit darker because of it. The lyrics reflect the change in tone perfectly: “Machines are on the rise, they're closing in, it's getting dangerous.”
One of the things Edison Glass does well is mix things up. It's hard to find a part on the album where they overuse a technique, chord progression or vocal melody and it helps keep the album fresh. “End of You” features a slower-paced, almost ethereal sounding guitar track and conversation style vocals, where the lower singer starts and is answered by the higher one. They meet up in the chorus, where the higher vocalist wails notes in the background while the lower one sings lyrics. The simple fact that they're not singing in the same octave lends the song a unique air. After the second refrain, the song switches genres with an interlude that would sound more at home on a Strokes album. Instead of sounding out of place, however, it serves to diversify the sound and keep the listener interested.
If there's one complaint to be had with “Time is Fiction,” it could be that the faster and heavier tracks are all stacked toward the beginning, with the slower mellow tracks left at the end. It's really a matter of preference, since the songs do actually feel like they flow to a calmer place, but those looking for a more even spacing from the full album might want to shuffle. Regardless, the songs found in what could be referred to as a second act are just as well written as those in the first. “Chances” is a thoughtful track that has to do with growing up. The song actually offers fairly good advice to people who are unsure about themselves. The lyrics are simple, but effective: “Oh, figuring out how I'm supposed to be, oh, breathe in and out, I'll take my chances. Now I can climb to see what I need to, as birds that make flight, I'll fall just to learn how.”
The album's title track sounds almost like a track from Western movie at first. The higher vocals confidently soar during the build-up, but they drop to a jazzy cool at the same time as the music. When “Time is fiction” is finally proclaimed during the song's crescendo it's as though the album's punchline has finally been revealed.
Edison Glass will be performing at Xtreme Wheels (356 Hertel Ave) this Saturday. Tickets can be bought for $10 presale and cost $12 on the day of the show. The band is coming as part of The Bang Tour with Nightmare of You, The Graduate, and Paper Revival. More information can be found at http://edisonglass.com and preview tracks are available for listening at http://myspace.com/edisonglass