Labels: Crank
Review by: Andy Malcolm
I’ve only heard 5 Mineral songs, but even *I* can tell you that this is still Mineral. The Gloria Record feature the Mineral bassist, and Chris who does singing, song writing and guitar playing. Taking such important elements and implanting them somewhere else would require a musician to want to change by rather a large amount in order to assure a change of sound.
Not that I’m complaining. I like what I’ve heard of Mineral, and I like the songs on this EP. What you get when you buy this is 6 tracks, 1 of them an instrumental, and it’s doing the slowish, miserable, indie emo style.
As ever, Chris singerboy sounds strained and particularly upset, which will immediately recall Sunny Day Real Estate, particularly with the sound they are making. That sound features awesome, semi-acoustic guitar that in one instant make your heart flutter only for the vocals to drag you back down in the next. I think maybe some keyboards are in there at times though they aren’t that prominent. Strangely comforting and pleasant, yet not lacking in power. Could have done with some lyrics though so that the listener would have more of a change of deducing what is being sung. Still, just Chris’ voice is enough at times, “Grace, The Snow Is Here” and “Torch Yourself” are soul-scraping in their morosity.
You’ll like the Gloria Record if you like indie-rock that sounds wonderful, but will tear you up totally if you’re on the downswing. Just get it anyway.