Glitterer – ‘Rationale’ album review: A triumphant return with a band in tow
THE SKINNY: Nearly three years to the day after he released his second album as Glitterer – or Ned Russin to those who know him – he has returned with Rationale, the third studio-length body of work under the moniker. However, things have changed this time, with the modern hardcore stalwart opening the project up to a more expansive future by enlisting a band. Naturally, this has seen Russin push his post-Title Fight project into new areas following the resounding success of 2021’s Life Is Not A Lesson.
Now, with keyboardist Nicole Dao, drummer Jonas Farah and guitarist Mike French in tow, with the help of Connor Morin, who recorded the six-string for the album, Glitterer has been injected with more vitality. Bringing the band in has allowed him to expand the group’s horizons and double down on the areas that made them so celebrated – the snappy songs and instant melodies – with the collective unit adding more authenticity to their distinctive sound.
Across Rationale, Russin and the group explore various emotions and themes. To the uninitiated, they might seem separated between defiant punk anthems and more introspective, often acoustic-inflected numbers. However, more forensically, the line between fact and fiction is blurred, something the frontman has always done cunningly. A distillation of Russin’s talent as a songwriter, his lifelong passion for his craft and his unique lyrical prowess carry this sonic journey through its many twists and turns and leave the listener wondering where Glitterer might go next as an outfit.
A refreshing body of work that doesn’t mess around, Glitterer cuts through the fluff of the contemporary era on Rationale and gets down to what really matters: the music. This is music fit for our times, and unsurprisingly, it is fuelled by talent, drive, and a commitment to a little old thing called the punk spirit, which has never been more vital.
For Fans Of: Straight edge, moshing until you choke on your own hair down at the good ol’ local venue.
A concluding comment from my grandmother: “This boy needs to calm down; all that shouting can’t be good for him. I wish his songs weren’t as short, too. They’re over before they’ve bloody started!”
Rationale track by track:
Release Date: February 23rd | Producer: Arthur Rizk | Label: ANTI-
‘I Want To Be Invisible’: Kicking off with the atmospheric drone of the keys, the tension is then amplified by the direct 4/4 beat of the drums, which have us locked in from the off. In the expected Glitterer style, it only takes a short time before we’re stuck into an anthemic central section boasting Russin’s passionate vocals and crunching guitars. The chorus, where the frontman screams “because I want to be invisible”, is vintage Russin in his Glitterer form and aptly opens Rationale. [4/5]
‘The Same Ordinary’: From one Glitterer classic to another. Commencing with a flurry of chorus-soaked guitars, the noise is quickly dispelled by a driving rhythm, Russin’s commanding vocal performance, and thudding bass. Over in the blink of an eye, like the rest of the album, the chorus is another resounding demonstration of the former Title Fight man’s no-nonsense approach and how he has a natural handle on writing potent vocal melodies. [4/5]
‘Plastic’: Just under 90 seconds of punk glory, the crunch of the bar chords on this one is hard to ignore and gets the head rocking immediately. Furthermore, the three-note synth line it boasts is among the most infectious on the record and will have you going back time and time again. There are many reasons it was a single. [4/5]
‘Can’t Feel Anything’: A more introspective number. Starting with the maudlin pipes played on the synth, Russin promptly bursts through the mix with a yearning melody, singing: “Both of my hands fell asleep / now I can’t feel anything”. Then, when the rest of the band jumps in, they suspend the bluer feel with a more alternative rock-leaning palette. [3/5]
‘Big Winner’: Clocking in at just under a minute, this number wastes no time getting to it, with its distinctly punk angle harking back to Russin’s 2019 Glitterer debut, Looking Through the Shades. It lets the music do the talking, with another direct vocal melody, prominent synth line and dynamic drumming pushing it to the finish line. This one will erupt live. [4/5]
‘Recollection’: Russin’s impassioned singing initiates this burst. Close behind him follow the rest of the group, who venture on a punky 4/4 rhythm coloured by the attitude-laden accentuations of the toms. One of the catchiest offerings found on Rationale, the minor key and fuzzy lead guitar line work perfectly in tandem, as the frontman repeatedly expands the song’s title with melismatic glory. [4/5]
‘Certainty’: Prompting ample tension and wondering where this composition might go are the pounding toms and cymbal crashes that cut through the mix at the start of this juncture. It’s one of the hardest grooves on the new Glitterer record, and the rhythm changes and Russin’s expressive vocal performance confirm this number as one of the best of the batch. [4.5/5]
‘It’s My Turn’: Another moving effort that wastes no time in getting to the nitty gritty, ‘It’s My Turn’ contains another of the standout synth lines on Rationale, with its reverb-heavy essence augmented by the fuzzy guitars. The more full-bodied inclusion of the acoustic guitar adds another stylistic and percussive element to the band’s sound and is a welcome addition. [4/5]
‘Just A Place’: Undoubtedly the most melancholic stop on Rationale, as a single, ‘Just A Place’ offers a counterbalance to the punky nature of the lead single, ‘Plastic’. Another acoustic-heavy piece, it displays the tender side of Glitterer, which has always been one of the project’s most important tools. In no hurry to conclude, with Russin earnestly enquiring, “What’s it mean to feel at home?” it prompts two minutes and 15 seconds of serious personal introspection. [4/5]
‘No One There’: A thunderous introductory passage that gives way to a brief equilibrium. Then, the arpeggiated chord progression and Russin’s compressed vocals prompt the pit in the mind’s eye to open up, with the imaginary revellers crashing into each other like waves on rocks. The chorus is as fine as they come, lifted by the panache of the tom rolls. [5/5]
‘My Lonely Lightning’: Recalling older Glitterer, this penultimate number is carried by Russin’s moody bassline, which sets the tone for the rest of the song. Aided by a gothic-sounding synth line and a generally dark mood, the band sounds cracking with the lights dimmed, and together, they propel the song deep into the prefrontal cortex. I hope they continue to experiment with more swarthy textures in the future. [4.5/5]
‘Half Truth’: Opening with one hell of a verse, underpinned by unrelenting drums, Russin leaves nothing to be desired with his vocals and bass work as the band plays a song that nearly reaches three minutes, a mark the frontman has only surpassed once in his time as Glitterer. It’s a glorious effort that blurs the line between punk and alternative rock further, and just as you think they might be pushing into more expansive climes, in true punk style, the repeated clank of the bass in the final third doesn’t initiate a pounding climax as some might hope but instead brings everything to a close with a calming ambient synth. [4.5/5]
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