Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Glass Hammer
Label: Arion
Release: 2011
Length: 62:03
Rating: 4.5/5
The American progressive rock band Glass Hammer, known for leaning on a massive wall of keyboard arrangements that almost always play the lead role in their studio productions, and for their love of the legacy of prog giants like Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis, Greenslade and above all Yes (to name just a few of their main influences), made another return to the scene in 2011 with their fourteenth studio album, »Cor Cordium« (Latin for ‘Heart of Hearts’). This time, breaking with a tradition they’ve kept more than once, it’s not a concept album. Glass Hammer continue their devotion to the old-school form of symphonic prog rock under a heavy Yes influence, although it would be a bit unfair to call them ‘clones’ or to lump them in with bands like Starcastle, England and Druid.
Devotees of legendary fantasy authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, the band started paving their career with the concept debut »Journey of the Dunadan« (1992), and the individual pieces on the album still build on the multi-instrumental pillars of the group’s two commanders, Fred Schendel and Steve Babb. Those two have been Glass Hammer’s main songwriters and architects of layered arrangements since the very beginning, and they also trade off on keyboards, bass guitar and vocals. Schendel is the even bigger multi-instrumental ‘madman’, since he also plays drums, guitar and flute when needed. For the drums, guest musician Randall Williams stepped in once again.
Singer Jon Davison, who first introduced himself to Glass Hammer fans on the predecessor to »Cor Codium«, »If« (2010), has meanwhile been handed a special honor: he became the new singer of British prog rock legends Yes. He actually joined Yes as a replacement for Benoit David (Mystery). Thanks to how effortlessly he hits the higher ‘frequencies’, Davison’s timbre really does recall the legendary Jon Anderson a bit, but he probably knows full well that his status is only temporary, since there’s no singing hero out there who could fill Jon’s shoes. Glass Hammer pack their lyrics with plenty of fantasy themes, usually inspired by the works of the authors mentioned above. Sometimes they create entirely their own fiction, and they often give themselves over to Christian heritage and beliefs too, as was evident on the concept album »Lex Rex« (2002), though they successfully shrug off the ‘Christian’ tag that some would love to stick on them. Their devout nature makes them occasionally slip into typically American, pathos-heavy emotional territory, which you can feel quite a few times on »Cor Codium«.
Glass Hammer’s main atmospheric ‘weapon’ on »Cor Cordium« is still the massive, layered symphonic arrangements built on a colorful arsenal of keyboards, while the melancholic guitar passages from Kamran Alan Shikoh, which skillfully help shape the dynamic atmosphere, are nothing to sneeze at either. Yes-style vocal harmonies, led by Davison’s ‘sweet-singing’ voice, keep injecting a positive spirit into the music, although his instrumental buddies know how to heat up their instrumental ‘hammers’ when the moment calls for it. All of these strengths are packed into the epic opening treat »Nothing Box«, which is dragged down only by its somewhat pathos-laden lyrics, the album’s main flaw overall. The constant switching between lush symphonic arrangements on Hammond organ, Mellotron and a variety of synthesizers keeps the melodic structure of the piece intact throughout, something that has been very important in the Glass Hammer sonic vocabulary since forever.
»One Heart« features plenty of ‘Wakeman-esque’ keyboard arrangements, while its mischievous melody, cheerful chorus and positive lyrics bring Yes to mind right away. Davison’s faithful Jon Anderson impression is almost a bit comical this time around, although all three Glass Hammer instrumentalists eventually knead those Yes influences through rhythmic meanders well enough to give the track at least some character of its own. »Salvation Station«, where you can also sense a minor Genesis influence, surprises with jazz-seasoned rhythmic finesse on bass and drums, while the melodic chorus is once again armed with juicy symphonic arrangements and a string of witty solo flights on the various keyboards. Fast-fingered Alan Shikoh is an excellent guitarist who more than obviously comes from jazz fusion, as you can clearly hear the influence of Mahavishnu Orchestra and John McLaughlin more than once. That means his playing style differs from the one Steve Howe (Yes) cultivates, which instantly demolishes the theories about Glass Hammer being perfect Yes clones.
»Dear Daddy« is a layered piece with a string of sudden changes in tempo and motifs. The opening section, where Schendel and Babb help Davison with the vocal harmonies, features a gentle acoustic melody that eventually melts into the rustling sound of branching synthesizer textures. The result is a distinctly ethereal mood that, despite the naive, ‘family-friendly’ lyrics, easily carries the listener beyond the bounds of the rational. The complex epic »To Someone« is yet another ‘Yes-style’ symphonic prog stunner, ruled by majestic symphonic arrangements, tasteful pastoral guitar melodies and an excellent vocal performance from Davison, this time armed with sacral backing harmonies. Once again there are plenty of moments for showing off individual virtuosity, while the main charm of this excellent piece is its outstanding atmosphere, which grows in intensity from second to second. The keyboards once more take on the role of the lead rhythm section, while the guitar carries the central melody. »She, A Lonely Tower« is another epic piece, full of witty time-signature twists, ruled by mighty orchestral arrangements and gorgeous vocal harmonies that are often accompanied by the elegant sound of piano. This superb piece makes its way convincingly through complex rhythmic meanders, while Davison’s excellent vocals, backed by dynamic guitar passages and orchestral curtains, keep the melodic level high the whole way.
»Cor Cordium« is a quintessential, thoroughly ‘pretty’ Glass Hammer album with an old-school symphonic prog rock charge, and in its pomposity it could hardly be any more ‘Yes-like’ (among other things, it sports a cover by Tom Kuhn that draws its inspiration from the legendary Roger Dean), yet it never once feels predictable while you’re listening to it. Despite a considerable lack of originality, it’s all played at a stunning artistic level, the ambience is outstanding throughout, and an unusually ‘alive’ production perks the whole thing up, so without a doubt this is one of their best achievements to date. The goody-goody lyrics, which are nowhere near as religious as what Neal Morse (ex-Spock’s Beard) can sometimes smother the scene with by bowing and scraping to ‘the Lord’, and not so different from the new age mantras preached by Jon Anderson and Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings), are the least of the problems, because »Cor Cordium« offers loads of listening pleasure.
Line-up
Fred Schendel – keyboards, steel guitar, backing vocals
Steve Babb – bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Jon Davison – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Alan Shikoh – guitar (electric and acoustic), sitar
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Randall Williams – drums
Jeffrey Sick – violin on “Dear Daddy”
Ed Davis – viola on “Dear Daddy”
Production
Glass Hammer
Track list
1. Nothing Box (10:53)
2. One Heart (6:20)
3. Salvation Station (5:08)
4. Dear Daddy (10:30)
5. To Someone (18:15)
6. She, A Lonely Tower (10:57)
