Hard 20 |
Girls Under Glass"Equilibrium" The first time I heard Girls Under Glass was back in 2001 when I did a write up on the "Frozen" EP, which did absolutely nothing for me. I can't remember what I had to say about that release. But, it wasn't kind. After going through this release, I'm still not impressed, still not a fan...not even a casual listener. Although, this time, my opinion isn't as harsh as it was before because there's actually some substance to be found on this recording. I am a bit confused though. I was doing a little online reading and, if I'm not mistaken, this release came out before the "Frozen" EP. "Frozen" was 2001 and "Equilibrium" was released in 1999 and, the site I was lookin' at featured a different album cover. Either somebody messed up and put the wrong information out there or this is a re-release. I'm not really sure and, to be honest with you, I did a limited search because I'm really not all that interested in spending too much time on this band. Anyway, I am aware of the fact that Girls Under Glass is one of the biggest gothic/electronic/darkwave bands on the planet. It doesn't mean I have to like 'em though. Although, I'm not gonna down 'em simply because they're not a style of music that I happen to enjoy and, as I said above, my opinion on this release isn't as harsh as the last time and I say that because I actually found a song or two on here that was actually worth listening to. I made it through the opening track, "Roses Of Death," without wanting to hit the fast forward button. It was kind of a slow moving song and it wasn't really that bad. The second track, "Is This The Place," was probably the tune I liked the most. This is the kind of song that I can get into. I heard it once and it stuck with me after that. I actually went back to this one a few times in order to let it sink in a little more. They kind of picked up the pace with "New World Order," which is a good thing. If the music is slow for too long, I tend to get bored with it. This tune had a bit of energy and it held my attention. "Protean Dream" had a chick singer and a little bit of acoustic flavor before the heavy stuff kicked in. A little variety...good stuff. "Desire Lasts Forever" was on the "Frozen" EP and I could've done without that tune. All in all, I would have to say that this is a much better release than "Frozen" and, if I had to listen to a Girls Under Glass album, it would probably be this one. But, the thing is, since this really isn't my style of music, the few times I went through this disc was more than enough for me. I doubt I'll ever spend this much time with the album again. However, if you're into Bauhaus or Nine Inch Nails, this might float your boat and, yes, those comparisons came from the press material. I figured I would name drop to give you some idea of what you're getting into with this release and now that my work here is done, it's time for me to move on to another album. |