Gabriel EP
"You Dropped a Prom on Me - Glow kicks it old-school"
"The kids in Glow might try to deny that their music is retro, but that's about as likely as the school's biggest nerd going to the prom with, ya know, like, Molly Ringwald! Forgive us, but Glow is just so John Hughes. Their lush, romantic songs are propelled by a guitar-and-synth combo that hearkens back to the days of Tears for Fears and rugby shirts. The well-constructed ditties rise above, though, with help from a talented female lead singer who, as one local music writer put it, can actually hit the notes.
Glow's synthpop isn't just yesterday's news, though. The trio has released an EP, "Gabriel," which will no doubt be for sale at their upcoming Hi-Pointe gig (9:30 p.m., 1001 McCausland Avenue, $5, www.glowmusic.net). One of the songs on it was featured on a recent "old wave" compilation album, too. It seems the days of drum machines and hair gel are never far behind."
Byron Kerman
Riverfront Times, St. Louis
09/26/2003
"Glow is a group that really stands out on the local music scene. The threesome combines an early 80's guitar/synthesizer sound with a bit of a jazz influence, creating a sound that is hard to resist. It's easy to be drawn into their set, even when the musicians are hidden from the audience with the help of some fancy lights and a smoke machine. Singer Brooke Edwards stands out in front and has a tremendous vocal ability that draws the audience in as soon as she starts singing. If this band keeps performing, they will most likely receive many glowing reviews in the future."
John Kujawski
Playback Magazine (www.playbackstl.com)
06/01/2003
"Glow's five-song EP is the perfect gift for anyone who enjoyed the synth-pop sounds of the early '80s and wants an updated version of it. Just a few minutes into the recording, it's easy to hear that Brooke Edwards is a terrific singer who is worthy of glowing reviews. It's nice to hear a singer who can actually hit the notes when she sings, and she sounds great over the band's melodic sound.
Gabriel opens with the title track, a melodic mix of guitar and synthesizer with a catchy hook that makes it worthy of radio airplay. "Smiling Down On You" is equally as good, and the vocal performance is flawless. Glow certainly stands out as a good local band, and I look forward to hearing them play live."
John Kujawski
Playback Magazine (www.playbackstl.com)
05/01/2003
"Synthpop is a genre that fell out of favor as soon as the '80s ended. Grunge brought guitars back to the forefront of popular music, and hip-hop took sampling and programmed drum tracks in a much harder, more urban direction. But during synthpop's heyday, bands like New Order, Depeche Mode, and the Human League created some of the '80s' most memorable tunes. Attempting to revive that tradition in 2003 Glow, who on their debut EP, "Gabriel," try to pretend that the '90s never happened.
Glow's from St. Louis. Guitarist Steve Hostetter and keyboardist/programmer/vocalist Brian Beracha are both graduate students right here at the big WU. Lead vocalist Brooke Edwards, posed in the band's press photo in sexy fishnet stockings, moved here from L.A. three years ago, and upon meeting the other two, the band was born. Glow's sound is pure synthpop, with lush keyboards, a lot of ambience, and Edwards' ethereal vocals over the top of the musical backing. Of the aforementioned bands, the one whose sound they recall most is the dreary Depeche Mode, rather than the peppier New Order, the songs wrapped in gothic darkness. Like New Order, though, Hostetterr's ringing guitar figures prominently in the band's sound, adding an element of humanity to all of the computerized texture created by Beracha's synths.
The way the album opens, with a long, ambient intro track, does not bode well for the rest of the disk, making it seem like it will at best be aural wallpaper. But as the first actual track, "Gabriel," comes in, the uptempo beat stirs the listener from the lull created by the opener. Edwards' voice is nice, if nothing special, but suits the music well. The following three tracks follow the same pattern, with lush backgrounds and programmed beats that are charming in their simplicity. "Regret" and "Smiling Down on You" add genuine pop smarts to the mix, with hooks that stick in the listener's head, outshining the forgettable opener. "Candy Cakes," slower and quieter, changes the mood a bit, and illustrates that the band is capable of tackling more than one sound or tempo in a single sitting.
The EP shows a lot of promise, however. They are tackling a sound, with much success, that has not been getting much press over the past ten years. When they use their pop smarts, they are as catchy as anything on Top 40 radio, with much more interesting musical backing. Hopefully, as Glow matures, they'll develop a sound that is less a mixture of influences than a style all their own."
Travis Petersen
Washington University Student Life
04/01/2003
"This is a really nice 6-song EP from a new synthpop act with female vocal leads. It's really promising with a lush sound and dramatic flare, combined sometimes with a retro synthpop sound (similar to maybe New Order in the mid-80's, but with female vocals). I hope to hear more from Glow in the future."
Todd Durrant
ADifferentDrum.com
02/15/2003
"St. Louis' Glow resurrects the glory days of '80s synthpop, updating it with 21st century rhythm tracks. The disc is blanketed in the inky gothic overtones that the Cure and Depeche Mode revelled in, but evades self-importance. Lead singer Brooke Edwards recalls Book of Love with a heightened emotional awareness. Retro it is, but Glow also proves that synthpop never should have fallen out of favor in the first place."
Beth Massa
Senior Editor, Amazon.com
2/01/2003
