![\"image\"](\"http:\/\/imageshack.us\/a\/img59\/1732\/glossary.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A! You can almost see the stars and stripes filter through the sound as vivid images of the United States\u2019 arid south come to mind. “Country music”, says the old bearded man sitting on the porch of his white-painted house in the middle of cornfields, “that\u2019s the beating heart of America”. Of course, he is but a figment of my imagination, yet he is but one of the many variations on American tradition that spring to mind so effortlessly when confronted to music like that of Murfreesboro, Tennessee\u2019s Glossary<\/strong>. Sitting alongside popular peers The Hold Steady and Lucero, the quintet fit comfortably within the country-tinged rustic rock\u2019n\u2019roll tradition, a national sub-genre of perceptions. Indeed, few other musical branches are so intently focusing on conveying images, a genuine tactile feel, odors and tastes as they recreate the atmospheres of the South.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2018Long Live All Of Us<\/em>\u2019<\/em> being their seventh LP release, it is entirely unsurprising to find a band so evidently comfortable in their songwriting ability, as they consistently deliver their romantic exploration through a lovingly-honed southern sound and tasteful musicianship. Accompanied by a handful of generally optimistic themes, the band\u2019s sound is positively upbeat throughout this new album, as is immediately evident on opener \u2018<\/em><\/span>Trouble Won\u2019t Last Always<\/em>\u2019<\/em> (notice the “brighter future” brand of positivism). The bright combination of perky piano melody and sunny guitar, superimposed with Joey Kneiser\u2019s warm crooning make for a cool-as-you-like summery track. One doesn\u2019t need to stretch the imagination to daydream of soulful group-singing around a sole piano, as the sun plunges into the horizon.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n In fact,<\/span> <\/span>this cheerful (yet often made bittersweet through contrast with the melancholic lyrics) template serves as the basis for a number of hearty highlights. \u2018<\/em><\/span>A Shoulder To Cry On<\/em>\u2019<\/em> has a dance-y bar room backbone and joyful horns galore, \u2018<\/em><\/span>The Flood<\/em>\u2019<\/em> has a lovely chilled-out guitar finale, and \u2018<\/em><\/span>Heart Full Of Wanna<\/em>\u2019<\/em>s drums and bouncy bass guide the track, before a surprisingly tasty guitar solo is unleashed. The happy outlook is ever present even when the rock knob is turned up a notch on the \u2018<\/em><\/span>When We Were Wicked<\/em>\u2019<\/em>, as the band reach the highest point of their cool-mometer, the wind blowing through their hair as they ride an old Ford into the sunset (probably).<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s not all energetic soul-rock tracks, though. <\/span>Glossary<\/strong> also have a knack for mellow Wilco-esque tunes full of warmth and charm. \u2018<\/em><\/span>Nothing Can Keep Me Away<\/em>\u2019<\/em> is an impassioned piece of rhythm and blues, both soulful and fun, while the sweet \u2018<\/em><\/span>Under A Barking Moon<\/em>\u2019<\/em> might prove the perfect soundtrack, with its charming harmonies, for a dreamy Midwest romance, as the couple share a bar room dance and the credits roll. This brand of American affect might be at its most effective on the stripped down \u2018<\/em><\/span>Some Eternal Spark<\/em>\u2019<\/em>, as the great harmony work between the two Kneisers takes the front stage, coupled only with alternating acoustic-electric transitions.<\/span><\/p>\n I recently reviewed Lucero\u2019s latest album (‘Women & Work’<\/em>) for Already Heard, and it\u2019s easy to see, from these two strong and compelling releases, that there\u2019s still a lot of life left in this genre. This is certainly the case in the States, but if the delivery is this passionate, then who\u2019s to say UK audiences wouldn\u2019t be ready to bite the bait. After all, music is a universal language if there ever was one.<\/span><\/p>\n 4\/5<\/span><\/p>\n \u2018Long Live All Of Us<\/em>\u2019<\/em> by Glossary<\/strong> is out on the 15th April on Xtra Mile Records<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n Glossary\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>links: Website<\/a>|Facebook<\/a>|Twitter<\/a>|Bandcamp<\/a><\/p>\n Words by James Berclaz-Lewis<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A! You can almost see the stars and stripes filter through the sound as vivid images of the United States\u2019 arid south come to mind. “Country music”, says the old bearded man sitting on the porch of his white-painted house in the middle of cornfields, “that\u2019s the beating heart of America”. Of course, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,8181],"tags":[5879,12931,12932,150,2736],"class_list":["post-29901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-album-reviews","category-post","tag-album-reviews","tag-glossary","tag-long-live-all-of-us","tag-music","tag-xtra-mile-records"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n