The Microphones - The Glow Pt. 2 (Album Review)

 

The Microphones - The Glow Pt. 2

(2001)

My copy: 2013 gatefold reissue by P.W. Elverum & Sun Limited

The Glow Pt. 2 is a force of nature. Potentially Phil Elverum’s most iconic record, it also stands as a glowing midpoint in his musical career. Early on, Elverum dabbled in noise experimentations eventually utilizing Calvin Johnson’s Dub Narcotic Studios to record drums and churning layers of sounds. The early Microphones records are not without pop undertones, and on The Glow Pt. 2 Elverum manages to perfectly marry his playful brand of primal density to a heartfelt, folk influenced brand of sincere pop music. 

The Glow Pt. 2 stands as a bible of sorts for fans of lo-fi rock music; there is an almost childlike nature to the raw, honest production and acoustic performances that allows the album to feel more personable. Guitars clatter and rattle out of time and sometimes just slightly out of tune. There is a warmth to the singer-songwriter tracks such as “Headless Horseman” or “I Felt Your Shape” that is unparalleled. 

While the stripped back tracks radiate vulnerability and emotion, the more expansive songs such as “The Glow Pt. 2,” “The Moon” or “I Want Wind To Blow” have an inexorable sense of grandeur to them. The title track is explosive and dynamic before tearing everything down and replacing it with Elverum’s emotional and rabid howls. This album is not for people who can’t stomach raw and sometimes off key vocals; the performances are sloppy at times but this is the aesthetic that makes this album so impactful to so many. Lyrics touch on suicide, relationships, nature and life with such a fervent integrity that it is sometimes hard to listen to. 

The Glow Pt. 2 is thematically playful and experimental; there is an ambient drone passage that is consistently recalled throughout the album that at best is a cerebral meditation and at worst a nuisance to those seeking the core experience. More ambient experimentation comes about on the “(Something)” tracks (these are reoccurring song titles throughout the Microphones catalog) but I almost always forget about these passages. “The Gleam Pt. 2” and “Map” mess around with fun percussion and chimes to good effect, and the latter dissolves into a cathartic mess of shrieks and drones before slamming us with beautiful, melancholy piano melodies accompanied by an accordion.
The biggest problem with The Glow Pt. 2 may just be its exorbitant length, surely one must admit that the album could do without some of the more aimless ambient passages, especially on the nearly ten minute “My Warm Blood,” which may be neat conceptually but really should just end at the two-ish minute mark. This is a tough album to retain in just one listen, and it’s no surprise why the first half is more discussed. The second half does contain impressive songs like the raucous “Samurai Sword” or the sweet and jangle-y “I Felt Your Shape.”

The Glow Pt. 2 is not for the ultra self-serious music fans; you must go into this album with an open mind and a willingness to connect with Elverum’s voice and lyricism. Those who open their hearts to Elverum’s slightly twisted brand of lo-fi indie folk with dashes of noise and ambient will recognize why this album is so lauded. The album’s presentation is unlike any other album of its genre, and warrants respect.

If you want this album, please attempt to buy it directly from Phil Elverum’s website before turning to resellers or stores. Phil still stocks most of the Microphones/Mount Eerie records and will ship them directly to you.