Albums by this artist

The Glow, Pt. 2 (Recommended) (2001)

It Was Hot, We Stayed In The Water (2000)

The Microphones

The Glow, Pt. 2

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» MARVIN LIN | STAFF WRITER

NATN Recommended The Microphones The Glow, Pt. 2 K, 2001 RiYL: Olivia Tremor Control, Sunday's Best, Elliott Smith, Star-P

The Microphones have done it again. Phil Elvrum and his cohorts haveproduced another magnificent journey using a similar palette as the one used on last year's It Was Hot, We Stayed In The Water. But this time, a few colors have been added, in the form of horns, steel drums and pianos.

As with previous Microphones releases, this album also has a musical and lyrical theme. The title of the album, The Glow Pt. 2, references the centerpiece of It Was Hot. But unlike most sequels for movies, this sequel is actually satisfying (and doesn't involve larger breasts, more blood or an over-exaggerated plot). "The Glow" mentioned throughout these two albums is actually referring to fire, which is sometimes subtly waved under our noses or sometimes blatantly shoved in our faces. Either way, the message is beautiful as it is disturbing.

Not only are the lyrics and themes similar to It Was Hot, but so are the musicianship and recording techniques. The music has the same raw, yet warm quality that its predecessor embodied, the familiar distorted cymbals,acoustic guitars, intimate lyrics, out-of-tune vocals, subtle dynamic changes, and songs that trip over themselves are all in attendance.

And just how "The Glow" was the gem from last year, the title track is this year's pick, with beautiful, surreal lyrics and a stunning -- and I mean stunning -- vocal performance by Mr. Elvrum alongside the warm organs that enhance the mood and dynamic of the song. Track 6 is the first of many instrumental songs, coming off like a new age, guitar-laden track with amazing stereo effects, much like last year's "The Pull."

But The Glow Pt. 2 has many of its own unique moments with its more versatile vocals and less restricted song structures. There are also some mysterious fragments of music and sounds that appear throughout the album. The very end of "I Want To Be Cold" has some female vocals that mysteriously fade out as soon as they are audible, and if you listen closely, a subtle droning sound becomes more distinct -- especially in between some tracks. It turns out that the sound is actually a recording of a tugboat that is amazingly played throughout the entire 67-minute album, providing a sense of continuity and unity.

There are really not enough adjectives in Webster's to adequately describe this album, so you ought to really stop reading and go listen to it.

MARVIN LIN |