Glare Has Guts + New Awakenings
Glare has Guts plus New Awakenings. Meatsheet Fanzine is back . Hello, allow me to intro dust myself off, yet again. I’m still John Meat. This is my first entry in a while. As I watch the powder keg being lit in America by our untrustworthy media I decide it’s time to get lost in some music. Don’t worry I’m doing something behind the scenes to try to offset those affected but it’s going to take a while. Lots of research on how to put my energy to its best use. Focused intent. Without focused intent I don’t think these works below can be brought to life.
So, we have singles, videos, maybe EP / LP. Here is a small fraction of new ish music. Hopefully the review is fair and unbiased but authentic. If you have reviews, pictures of relevant bands / shows, memorabilia that fits what I cover, or anything else that fits.. Please reach out here on one of the many anti-social media platforms ( Misanthropes, I am talking to you !! ) email / Bluesky / InstaGram Facebook (ugh). @meatsheetfanzine
I have had scams , i mean offers, from random people to write non sequitur inspired drivel that does not dovetail or fit my content what – so- ever. That is the price of being the best indie blog in 2025. (Snickers and winks)
The Awakening – s/t – Intervention Arts
I’m perusing this LP at random and fixing to break the album down into bite size count chocula pieces. Just kidding, about sugar cereal that will subtract life force from you. This LP may add to your life force. (Disclaimer: MSF is not intended to treat or diagnose any illness but may expand your musical horizon)
Despite the fact this album is steeped in foreboding melodies, driving bass, and (driving) kick drums, it’s a bit like shadow work. You go to to the dark side for therapy and release.
Those who have done the work know what I mean. Let the Awakening take you somewhere else far away into your own depths.
Even though I’m late in discovering this October ’24 LP.. This is probably as good as you are going to get in 2025 if you are going to be seeking something in the dark, rhythmic realm. For fans of Peter Murphy / Bauhaus, Sisters Of Mercy and the more theatrical era of Bowie. Don’t believe me ?!? Why I oughta … check out this video for proof.
Thus having witness to the video linked above allow me to highlight a few key songs. But first I must say if I goto darkwave territory and the mood strikes me so, there is not a skipper on this LP. I often listen to the whole thing, unless my mood shifts or the lady comes home and tells me she needs soothing pandora like flute music instead of Victorian dark synth inspired rock. A buzzkill but I understand her perspective.
Moving along, Shimmer is the gateway to Ashton Nyte’s dreamscape turning real. Knolling bells, reverberating percussion, and some background electronic white noise gives way to Mirror Midnight. At that point you know exactly what you are in for. ‘Blurring lines’ is a lyric and what this song does. Is it more Bauhaus ? Sisters ? Bowie ? No matter to me. I’m into the drive and throb, and undulating guitar and synth melodies.
Your Vampire adds some clean sparkly acoustic guitar and turns up the moodiness .
Haunting pulls any stops out from this album. My intuition says that when Mr. Nyte composed this creation that it was a no brainer to be a single born to the world. Although I stated up above the whole album flows along, Haunting captivates my attention. Hypnotic drum and bass.
A satisfying repeating guitar bend that makes me want to sway.
Baritone vocals not without a dynamic range. Through its darkness Haunting is fairly uplifting. However the next song Below The Emptiness brings the tone down to a more brooding and sad feeling. You gotta love a good push pull, rise / fall. Below The Emptiness exudes introverted , introspective notes and sounds.
See You Fall is well written but the take away for me is when the title lyric is sung. The low vocal tone is nearly aligned with the frequency of a Tibetan throat singer.
If you don’t know what that sounds like, I suggest you look both up. It’s tribal and spiritual.
In conclusion, this is a darkwave inspired album for people that are immersed in that and for people like me who appreciate the production and dabble with nocturnal sounds just when the mood strikes. Quite the album I must say ..
Glare – Guts – Sunday Drive Records / DeathWish Inc Records
First single, Guts is more dreamy, floaty, shoegaze from Dallas, Texas’ Glare.
If you love this track you’re going to have to have inside access to the whole album or wait until April 4th of the 2025 to sense the entire album. Scheduled date for Sunset Funeral LP. Will it be equally mesmerizing as this track ? Time will tell me frieds. Until then hook up here. Fuck Plotify. https://glaretx.bandcamp.com/album/sunset-funeral
Find the video below for Guts.
Back to the song. The staccato drum beat holds the rhythm in place for the rest of the band to do its thing. Breathy, melodic vocals. Introspective, layered guitars. Sneaky bass, lurking back in the mix.
Overall, Guts is approachable, listenable, and definitely trying to hone in on a mood. Relaxed and detached feelings, maybe wishing to be somewhere else than the current place
At this time I’m unclear what label will be releasing the LP so I’m assuming it’s Sunday Drive, Death Wish Inc. or both. Go easy on me, I’m out of touch and trying to get back into the saddle. FFO of new gaze ? Is that what people are calling it now ? Great job, Glare personnel – Meat
My Raining Stars – For Good – Too Good To Be True / Shelflife Records
Next is a song from a forthcoming LP on Shelflife and Too Good To Be True Records. My Raining Stars is holding down the dream and Brit pop style within the country of France. Within the last few years I sample and write about MRS ” Life We Planned ” from Thierry who is for lack of better word , source and creator of this band. By the time I post this MRS has a second single out, someone help !
For Good picks up where MRS last left off. Not losing any momentum and keeping the jangle and songwriting focused. Read about the previous material here https://meatsheetfanzine.com/my-raining-stars-smile-with-strange-joy/
For Good is less melancholy but there is still that tug on the heart strings. Speaking of strings the guitars sound a little edgier than the previous songs in the link above. A 90’s alternative rock sound, a little drone, and of course brit pop. So if you love sounds like that (literally think of several Creation bands and similar) you may find this single to take you back to simpler times. See and hear for yourself with this smashing video.
Andy Bell – I’m In Love … and Apple Green UFO – Sonic Cathedral Records
If you accuse me of playing favorites I am guilty on all counts when it comes to Andy Bell and his cohorts from the band Ride. This is his 3rd offering of solo material. So in addition to Ride, working with Oasis, Andy has his epononymous material and another project called GLOK.
Today I focus on the latest two singles from the soon to released LP, Pinball Wanderer. First is I’m In Love … This is the Andy Bell solo song that will woo the shoegaze purists. Perhaps some others too. A cover of The Passions’ hallowed postpunk classic ‘I’m In Love With A German Film Star’. This single boasts vocals from Dot Allison and guitars from Michael Rother. Sublimely beautiful in all the instrumentation used. Mr Bell and Rother captures the timing and essence of the Echoplex delay on guitar. Ms. Allison adds the breathy lead vocals to the song. A different spin than the original vocals of Ms Gogan of the Passions.
Originally in early 80’s the blueprint for shoegaze is being drawn up on the spot. This is decades later, however , both sound crystalline fresh to my ears.
Therefore I extend gratitude to Andy Bell and company for reimagining this wonderful song and hopefully it brings new audience to the Passions. I’m already won over.
Second single is Apple Green UFO. Could this be an omen that an advanced alien race is coming to take Andy Bell off world to a more civilized place? Not bloody likely, but please take me away too if so. More than likely Mr Bell is spacefaring through his music. Hence we hear rubbery bass and a hybrid beat of drums.
This percussion lies somewhere in a mix of classic hip hop (which in turn owes alot to jazz and 60’s 70’s funk) and Jaki Liebezeit of Can. So if the beat sounds a bit close to home, it’s probably referencing drum and bass that echoes thorough cultures and time.
As Apple Green UFO goes on I hear some hand acoustic percussions and horn like tracks. Repetition adds a chance to immerse oneself into this rhthym – scape. Caution to the short attention spans once again, Apple Green UFO commands either full engagement or disengaged completely.
That is to say, its excellent background music, but I think its best to engage and take the full 8 minute and change journey. When I do this I am a better person. So I recommend the songs in these paragraphs to fans of British pop, post punk, psychedelia, electronica, and of course the early days of shoegaze. If you know Andy’s work before this, chalk this up as a no brainer must listen. OK in all fairness, a brainer too , as I love the depth and scope of composition.
One last shoutout. Praise and thanks to Innerstrings. https://linktr.ee/innerstrings Since I started this blog in 2020 I follow Innerstrings video work with Andy Bell, Three Quarter Skies (Simon Scott of Slowdive) and more artists that make me slightly jealous.
So for visuals to the Pinball Wanderer sound track check out Innerstrings editing and do go down a rabbit hole of tremendous psychedelic and kaleidoscopic propotion.
That is to say check out Love Comes in Waves and Holy Water in addition to the video/editing work linked below. An inspiring start to 2025. Tip my hat to you all over here in Powder Keg USA.
There you have the latest from Meatsheet. Who will step up with a polaroid or two I can use? Who wants to cover a show they saw? Yeah ‘scene report’ type of thing would be welcome . A review of an overlooked band and or their video? As long it is somewhat adjacent or fits my content. Until then I keep on trying to keep up.
Also, please look out for each other. There is no shortage of ugliness as of late. Thank goodness for these healers above, i mean, artists (wink, wink, same thing)