GLUECIFER
Tender is the Savage (Sub Pop)
Reviewed by Jason Thornberry

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Oslo, Norway's Gluecifer are apparently spearheading the growing "Scandinavian Rock Explosion," with more bands coming from the region and pumping out richer, rougher, jams with a higher intensity level, and a higher octane rock and roll sound, than ever before. I hear plenty of classic-rock leanings on this cd, and that's a good thing. If anything, the classic rock period was an era when rock really, uh rocked. Minus the dance moves, boy-bands, midriffs, sex appeal (Bad Company were so ugly, it hurt me to look at the backs of their records), bad-boy posturing (see Kid Rock or Eminem), or empty political sloganeering (Pearl Jam vs. ticketmaster, or Rage Against the Machine's entire career). Songwriting (sometimes an extremely fuss-free version) was more important than the singer's looks. Records back then were built on a foundation of strong melodies, rather than their ability to keep the artists' choreographers happy.

Tender is a strong cd, and finds the band building on catchy, basic riffs, not unlike what you might hear on a Toto or Foreigner album. Now before you dismiss them outright, or tell me that classic rock never, ever had any appeal for you, stop for a moment, and realize that I'm telling you that Tender is the Savage isn't Killroy was Here Part II, or Dirty Deed Done Again Dirt Cheap. Gluecifer aren't trying to come across as a cover band, or tribute group, with rhinestones, or flares. Rather, they're letting some influences breathe fresh life into an 'alt-rock' genre that has become a parody of itself. Recorded in Sweden, this sounds easily like it could have come out of Detroit Rock City circa 1978. Except the mix is a bit more up to date. Back then, everything was recorded reallllly dry. Listen to classic rock radio sometime, and you'll hear what I'm referring to. The drums sound like cardboard boxes usually. If you enjoy hard rock, but are tired of all of the excess, and really don't care what the bassist thinks about the ozone layer, then this is definitely for you.

8/10

© 2002 - Jason Thornberry