It’s fair to say that 2016 was a good year for GLASS MOUNTAIN. Arriving without fanfare in June with their debut GLACIAL EP, a release that grabbed the attention and imagination of the likes of Clash Magazine and Tom Robinson at BBC Introducing, and earned the band the highest accolade at the Leeds Music Video Awards, GLASS MOUNTAIN continued to mesmerise until the year’s end. Taking immense pride over everything related to the band, those brief six months spawned beautifully crafted gatefold CDs, 10” vinyls, cassettes, their own magazine and highly-prized T-shirts.
Performances at Bingley Music Live, The Secret Festival and Leeds University Refectory enhanced their reputation further, whilst shows with the likes of Evil Blizzard, Las Kellis and Elvis Depressedly – shows that, on paper, appeared at best improbable – proved the band’s ability to win over pretty much any audience, regardless of setting or genre. The year ended with GLASS MOUNTAIN being invited as full tour support on the seven-date Embrace tour in December.
Now, as we enter 2017 with a collective trepidation, GLASS MOUNTAIN return with their second release, the two-track COWBOY SONG | MORE THAN THIS single, out on 17 March. COWBOY SONG, which has appeared in their live set for a number of months now, soars and swerves with a bravery and delicacy that reflects the lyrical sentiments; truthful and poetic, and accompanied by waves of crashing guitars that soar immeasurably. If anyone feared that GLACIAL was the band’s singular mesmerising, breathtaking epic … well, fear not.
MORE THAN THIS, a cover of the Roxy Music classic, appears here more akin to the soundtrack of a David Lynch film; brooding, spine-tingling, anthemic. The inspiration comes from Bill Murray’s halting, inebriated, life-affirming karaoke rendition of the song towards the end of the film Lost In Translation. He may appear to be delivering the song to everyone in the bar but the reality is that, whilst rarely looking at her, he’s singing every word exclusively to the character played by Scarlett Johansson. And it’s clear that she knows. It’s a beautiful scene and GLASS MOUNTAIN more than do it justice.
You can listen to both tracks here
Taking their name from a David Hockney etching, and requesting the permission and personal blessing from the artist to do so, GLASS MOUNTAIN formed eighteen months ago in Bradford, steadfastly proud of the city’s heritage yet fully conscious of the neglect and under-investment their city has had to endure. Through adversity and austerity, however, great art often shines; and GLASS MOUNTAIN shine brilliantly.
GLASS MOUNTAIN care very deeply about their band, and it’s becoming more and more clear that the songs they are writing, recording and performing have a longevity that will resonate far beyond this year, beyond next year and beyond many years to come. We hope you like them.
JANUARY
Fri 27 LEEDS 360 Club @ The Library | with Dusk + Fighting Caravans |
MARCH
Sat 11 LEEDS Lending Rooms @ The Library | with One Sided Horse |
Thu 16 LEEDS University Refectory | with Hawkwind |
Fri 17 NOTTINGHAM Rough Trade Records | with Autumn Diet Plans |
GLASS MOUNTAIN are:
* HARRY HANSON | vocals and guitar
* LEWIS JOHNSON-KELLETT | guitar
* WILLIAM SAND | bass and keyboards
* JONATHAN NEWELL | drums
http://www.glassmountainband.com/ http://www.youtube.com/glassmountain https://www.instagram.com/glass.mountain https://www.facebook.com/glassmountain/ https://twitter.com/glassmountainuk https://soundcloud.com/glass-mountainband
