The Glow Pt. 2
by The Microphones

Microphones is an extraordinary band led by the genius Phil Elvrum who works on the experimentation in the lo-fi music. The very special art of Phil Elvrum and his band reaches its peak on this album of 2001. The sonic research started on "It Was Hot We Stayed in the Water" here reach an impressive maturity. It is nevertheless a matter of pure lo-fi but of so sophisticated lo-fi that one has to listen to it with the headphones to appreciate all the complexity. We must not believe that we are here in pure sound of experimentation. "The Glow, Pt. 2" is above all an "indie-pop" album full of shattering songs of simplicity and sincerity. It is clear that Phil Elvrum wanted to make a "complete" album: at once conceptual, experimental, melodic, modest and ambitious. Clearly one of the best independent rock albums of all time.

10/10

Best track: "The Glow, Pt. 2"

From pearljammer13 TOP 100 COMMENTER 11/29/2012 01:56 | #56182 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

I listened to this album a few times about a year ago, but I couldn't completely get into it. Shows how much my taste has changed, as now it seems miles better than what I remember. Really loving it now.

This album is a lo-fi, folk-y, noisy, beautiful masterpiece that features the brilliant and eerie lyrics of Phil Elverum and the intricate instrumentation that accompanies them. It's the type of album that takes a few listens to fully comprehend and appreciate. It alternates between beautiful acoustic melodies and aggressive noise rock to express the contrasting emotions the narrator is experiencing. The title track is one of my favorites because the lyrics portray the narrator wishing he were dead, or even attempting suicide, but then realizing that he is still alive and has no choice but to go on living. The way Elverum describes the feeling of being alive (my heart beats loudly/my blood flows harshly) portrays his existence as one full of pain and anger. The dark and profound lyrics are one of my favorite aspects of the record. The lyrics are sung with such emotion, expressing vulnerability and devastation, which facilitates the listener's comprehension of what the narrator is going through. In addition, the eerie-sounding, buzzing note that is repeated many times throughout the album gives it a dark, foreboding tone. I like the way it becomes more prominent as the album progresses until the final track, which consists almost entirely of this single sound being repeated over and over. It makes me think of impending danger when I hear it, which makes it very attention-catching and jarring. It's an intriguing, unique record that explores a variety of ideas and emotions in an effective way. The only downfall, in my opinion, is that certain tracks, such as Samurai Sword, are so noisy and aggressive that they are slightly difficult to listen to, although I recognize that the band included such instrumentation to contribute to the album's tumultuous and emotionally jarring tone.

Favorite tracks: I Want Wind to Blow, Headless Horseman, The Gleam Pt. 2, You'll Be In the Air

9/10

From meccalecca TOP 100 COMMENTER 05/08/2014 20:04 | #111221 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

The fragile young man hung on to life by the weakest of threads, never giving up hope.

I love how the album keeps returning to that deep bass bell sound - like there's something inevitable that's always faster approaching, no matter how distracted the album turns from it.