Introducing: The Glasses

Without trying to sound like a narcissistic youth who “only listens to bands other people haven’t heard of because that’s too mainstream”, discovering a less-known band is something that really appeals to me. I like to see how they develop, how their sound changes and their fan-base grows. It’s a great feeling, too, to look back and think, “I remember when I went to see them in an underground bar, and now they’re playing at x, y and z”, for example. A testament to good taste in music, I like to think.

And so a conversation began a few weeks ago with my neighbour, about how he likes to take a similar approach to music. Giving me no more information than “they’re a really good band”, he handed me a CD and asked me to have a listen. I had no idea what their name was, where they’re from, how long they’ve been together, but was simply told that if I like Arctic Monkeys, I’ll like this. (I do know now, of course, because otherwise that would defeat the point of this piece.)

“The Glasses” are an indie-rock band from Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo, which took me by suprise – I guessed they were a UK (if not London) based band. The four-piece consists of Flamur Xhiku on lead vocals and guitar, Asdren Jonuzi on guitar, Zgjim Elshani on bass and Pajazit Dërmaku on drums. Since forming in 2007, the band has moved from rehearsing in dark garages to getting their big break at a Red Cross Youth party. Since then, their rock’n’roll spirit has invaded the whole city. Described as one of the most exciting new bands, they spent 2009 recording their first EP and are set to release their debut album, “Staring From Behind”, at the beginning of October through PMG Recordings.

Bob De Rosa is a loud, anarchy-driven track that verges on the punk sound of The Sex Pistols; Nightlights is cleverly arranged to allow each member to shine through with an opening guitar solo making way for a bass riff, followed by vocals over a steady drum beat that all comes together in a big crescendo as the song ends with the crash of a cymbal. My personal favourite, Signs To See, uses simple guitar riffs to give way to an aggressively muffled vocal, whilst the chorus sees the collective sound of the band fluctuating between the quiet of the snare drum to the loud rip of a guitar chord. 27 teases you with a repetitive bass line that quavers at an interjecting guitar chord or thud of a bass drum. The album closes just as it opened – on a loud high.

Simply put, it’s a gritty, varied, 11-track debut album brimming with rock’n’roll as it should be. Staring From Behind hits you immediately with it’s tight-structure and overall flamboyant appeal. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but remains an inspiration nevertheless.

Tracklist:
1. Dirty Glasses
2. Bob De Rosa
3. Nightlights
4. Slow Hands Fast Looks
5. Signs To See
6. Important Disappointments
7. 27
8. A Lady Big Dream
9. The Roleplay
10. Toy Boy
11. Silhouette

-Charlie Clarkson