Diamond sun --- Glass Tiger --- 1988 (Capitol)
The second album from Canadian rockers Glass Tiger, this is an AOR gem, packed full of airplay-worthy songs, singles and some deep, thoughtful compositions. Most of the tracks on it are written by vocalist Alan Frew and drummer Michael Hanson, with a goodly portion also being collaborations between Frew and Jim Vallance, who produced the record. And parts of it were recorded in Dublin. Yay!
It starts off with the title track, a slowburner with great keyboard, military-style drumming, detailing the plight of the Native American:
”We came to this land/ We gave our friendship/ Gave them our hands/ But it was never to be/ Oh you must bow down they said/ Fall to your knees.” It's a powerful opener, certainly in lyrical content if not musical, but it's on the next track, “Far away from here” that Glass Tiger get to really stretch themselves and kick it up a notch. A great little AOR tune, it lets guitarist Al Connelly cut loose, while “I'm still searching” takes things up another gear, Connelly again showing what he can do with his axe, a perfect foil for Frew's vocal style. This song gets closer to true rock territory, while “A lifetime of moments”, the first of two ballads on the album, takes us firmly back there, with some nice organ and electric piano from keysman Sam Reid.
Much of this album is, I suppose, unremarkable. No-one's going to suddenly join the Glass Tiger fan club or want to seek out all their other recordings after hearing this. But to its credit, it's a very good album, a competent release and a good follow-up to debut “The thin red line”, which yielded the hit single “Don't forget me (when I'm gone)”, and looked like it could have painted a bright future for the Tigers. That didn't quite happen, but they went on to release a very good, solid, enjoyable album, which is no small feat.
They even draft in the services of legendary Irish traditional band The Chieftains to provide a very celtic feel to “My song”, which bounces along at a nice rhythm, and the second ballad on the album, “(Watching) worlds crumble” --- they do like their brackets --- is far superior to the other one, a gentle, piano-driven lament on the state of the world, with some very soulful singing from Alan Frew. A song which appears on my mix “Ten from Trollheart”, which can be found a few pages back, closes the album in grand style, the slowburning “This Island Earth”, kind of taking the theme full circle. Great guitar solo from Connelly at the end too.
Yeah, it's not going to set the world on fire --- probably went pretty much unnoticed when released, though it DID go double platinum. In Canada. But that doesn't mean it's not an album worth checking out. If your thing is decent AOR, good melodies, well-crafted songs and interesting themes then give Glass Tiger a listen. You could certainly do worse, and what have you to lose?
TRACKLISTING
1. Diamond sun
2. Far away from here
3. I'm still searching
4. A lifetime of moments
5. It's love u feel
6. My song
7. (Watching) worlds crumble
8. Send your love
9. Suffer in silence
10. This island Earth
]
Suggested further listening: “The thin red line”