A shimmering, glittering album
This 12-track album named Rationale definitely lives up to its name. If you’re looking for some indie rock that has hints of shoegaze and plenty of crunchy guitars, then this album is for you.
Glitterer knows how to get a crowd moving. This album is upbeat and never stops. Many of the songs lack an introduction and start immediately. This can be heard in tracks like, “Half Truth” and “Recollection.” The non-stop pace makes the listener want to dance and move around. The constant hype is something that can sometimes make an album feel unclean but in Rationale everything seems to flow together and it all makes sense.
Many of the songs are jubilant and have twinkling melodies like “Big Winner.” The atmospheric and spacey tones of “Can’t Feel Anything” paired with processed and phased guitars make the listener feel satisfied. However, not every song matches this happy tone. In the track, “Half Truth,” darker, dismal chords are used. There is also a strange break at the end of the song that uses minimal instruments and goes for what seems like forever. It eventually fades out leaving the listener wanting a resolution in the song that they just do not get. The same darker tone can be heard in “I Want To Be Invisible” as it starts with a creepy feedback noise. This song is angsty and emotional. As a listener, you can tell in the lead singer’s voice that they are putting their all into this song. The attention to emotion makes it very relatable and a good tune to drown out the world with.
Even though most of the tracks are upbeat, as I stated before, there is one track that is calm and unhurried. “Just A Place” is a personal favorite on this album. Rationale didn’t need to have a slow song and it could’ve kept with its upbeat theme, but this song is not unwelcome. It fits in with the rest of the songs and isn’t a wildly different sound than the rest of the tracks. Shimmering guitars and a soft drum beat fill the ears of the listener all while completely consuming their attention. This song is hard to hate.
One qualm with the album is that the lead singer sounds as if they are singing far from the mic. The vocals aren’t clear and sometimes sound a bit muffled. It’s hard to understand what the lyrics are. Although this fits the style of music they’re going for, crunchy tones are wanted.
Overall, this album does what it promises; it glitters. It has a wide range of tones while still sounding cohesive. Some songs are bass-heavy while others rely on guitars with effects stacked upon them. The album is extremely enjoyable and easy to listen to. Nothing stands out and is ostracized from the other songs. Glitterer knows what they’re doing in the indie rock scene, that is for sure.
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