Review Summary: Glassjaw's "Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence," is a great debut album and while some fans of lighter mlusic may perfer their 2002 release, "Worship & Tribute," they should still give this a listen to hear what Glassjaw used to be.
Before Glassjaw broke into the mainstream with 2002’s “Worship & Tribute,” they were a some what underground Long Island band playing local shows for the hometown fans. With Roadrunner Record’s release of Glassjaw’s “Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence (Silence)” Glassjaw broke the barriers between Post-Hardcorre, and Metal. Combining brutal breakdowns, screeching guitars, and growls; with the sentimental lyrics and voice of Daryl Palumbo, this record inspired many, and changed the genre around completely. Most of this record (if not all of it) is pure anger which explains why the music is so heavy throughout.
The first three tracks are some of the best tracks off the record, and good be the best intro to an album of any that I own. The album kicks off right into
Pretty Lush with a fast guitar part intro to the song Palumbo immediately kicks in both his singing techniques as well as his screaming skills. You can tell the anger is already settling in with such lyrics as “I wish you a broken heart/And a happy new year.” At 2:08 it gets intense. With Palumbo screaming and then coming right back into the chorus to end the song. One truly great opening track. The next track just continues on with the anger.
Siberian Kiss is one of the most brutal songs on the record. Opening up with some spine crunching power chords, you know what you’re in for. With such lyrics as “So put another coin in and turn the crank/Until the frames cease to move/And the movie turns into a photo/A photo the size of my fist I hope she knows.” Then at 1:40 things loose control with nothing playing except Daryl’s voice he speaks, “Why don't you sell yourself/There's always one more thing/Why don't you sell yourself/If I can't have you know one will!” then a bone shattering guitar part comes in leading back into the chorus, and the song leaves you wanting so much more.
When One Eight Becomes Two Zeros is an metaphor for a break up, and that is exactly what this song is about. Although the music can be heavy at times the vocals in this song are sentimental and show another side of Glassjaw. Singing a chorus with lyrics such as “Knee deep in static/I hear you breaking up/I'm breaking up/I guess we're breaking up.” This song is one of those songs that every time you hear it you can relate to it, and you immediately feel what the writer was feeling when he wrote this song. The title track
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence is a big track. And while it’s not near the size of Converge’s “Jane Doe” it is still huge. It starts off slow in the beginning and then when the chorus comes in it gets real heavy. And then slow again. It follows this basic pattern until around 4:56 seconds when it loses control and Palumbo is just screaming uncontrollably then he half screams/half sobs in the most beautiful way “This is what it’s like to be alone!” and it leaves you with that.
And with every record that seems so perfect in the beginning, there is always usually a let down. Although the let down songs on “Silence,” aren’t huge let downs they lack a certain structure and the ability to be listened to over and over again. Don’t get me wrong this songs are very good, but they are not up to par with rest of the album. Songs such as
Hurting And Shoving (She Should Have Let Me Sleep) have less song structure and are more on the verge of Metalcore then anything else. While the song is a great live song, and is written well, it is not near as well constructed as the rest. Probably the worst structured song is
Babe While this is a fan favorite, it is a very unpredictable song and is also the shortest song on the record clocking in at 1:45, it is a song that can be skipped. The drums seem to be out of sync with the rest and it sounds as if the lyrics were made up on the spot. It is songs like these (although I do like them) that forbid me from giving this record a 5.
Overall “Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence is a fantastic debut release from one of the most respected bands in music, Glassjaw. Although there is some songs below par there are many other great songs that definitely make up for it.
4.5 / 5
Recommended Tracks:
Pretty Lush
Siberian Kiss
When One Eight Becomes Two Zeros
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence
PROs
Great vocals and lyrics
Excellent musicianship
Captures two different genres and makes them one
CONs
A few songs not up to par
Could begin to get old after a while
