Ned Russin, singer and bassist, has grown Glitterer from a solo project into a full-fledged band since his last release. His music is falling back into his old ways — the ways of his previous band, Title Fight, which had three additional members.
A Glitterer show is both endearingly authentic and, unfortunately, sparse. $15 and the willpower to navigate Cambridge backroads is all it cost me last April. The show brought to life the effort that has been put into this project, even through the subpar acoustics in the Massasoit Elks Lodge basement and the short setlist. Nevertheless, I felt reassured by the community (about 50 people) showing up for the small band in regards to the health of a bona fide alternative music scene.
Rationale follows Russin’s typical style of electronic keyboards, grungy guitars, and desperate vocals. He shouts exactly what he feels and fills the niche that has felt empty since Title Fight disbanded. In my opinion, he is naturally the heart and soul of Glitterer.
Russin tells us how he “gave [his] life to the road,” presumably through touring obligations in “The Same Ordinary,” and confesses to not understanding his feelings when he isn’t indulging in his music. The lyrics are very literal and don’t require much length from the songs, but they’re catchy and worth returning to anyway. “I wish they could turn mirrors into lakes, so I could disappear without a trace,” is what Russin desires in “Recollection.” And he continues to share his feelings of futility and apathy throughout the rest of the album.
The sounds on Rationale are similar to Life is Not a Lesson, released by the band in 2021; both use the same inflection and isolated, echoing vocals. The production, however, leaves less to be desired than earlier projects, and the songs feel further legitimized because of it.
The short tracks create a desire from the listener for more, serve as a motivation to flip through the band’s discography and discover more of Russin’s past projects as well as follow Glitterer for future releases.
