j o n b

I bought this album because I had heard good things about this band in prog circles. With the exception of their connection to the late great echolyn, I'm not sure how they ever got a mention in that context. To my ears, there isn't any progginess on this disc at all. It is simply filled with intelligent, well written, well performed folk-pop tunes, which makes it a good find. It's very hard to pin down this band stylistically, as folk-pop doesn't quite do them justice. I hear a little bit of the Indigo Girls in the harmonies, but in reality the band truly reminds me of a long defunct West Virginia band, Stark Raven, which I know means nothing to most of you reading this. Trust me. The album is chock full of mostly acoustic guitar driven tracks, alternately up tempo, like the excellent opener, and more ballad like, as in "Chills". Occasionally things change up, as in the Celtic flavored "Something To Live For". Most of the arrangements are very light and open, without a heavy presence. Jennifer Nobel's voice is very good, and she stays away from the current trend of female singers whispering lyrics in little girl fashion. Lush harmonies flavor most tracks. The auxiliary musicians provide some nice touches here and there, particularly Brett Kull's nice use of lap steel on several tracks. With all that said, there are some problems I have with the album. For starters, two tracks, "There" and "Angel" rely on a drum machine, which is completely out of place on a album with a acoustic sensibility to it. In addition, they had an excellent drummer in Paul Ramsey on the album, so why let his talents go to waste? That's the major criticism. I'd prefer to see a little more complexity in the harmonies now and then and some space for the musicians to shine on their own. But those are minor quibbles. In the end, I was very pleased with this album. Without the drum machines, this review would have been almost all positive. Hopefully they'll ditch them for their next effort, which I look forward to. review by Jon Byrne — undated —

j o e

Grey Eye Glances is not a prog rock band at all, but rather a pop trio with string-supplemented, folky leanings. Their link to this forum comes from Glenn Rosenstein, who produced echolyn's As the World and October Project's debut album. Their debut album is closer to a more down-to-earth October Project (closer to their second album Falling Farther In), but features echolyn's Brett Kull and Paul Ramsey as support members. For those interested, this seems to be a strictly professional gig for Kull and Ramsey, who deliver restrained performances to emphasize the songs, not playing. There are several songs that are enjoyable. I particularly like the opening number "Hard"; upbeat, but not dumbed-down. However, sadly I have to say that the overall impression I get is still largely indistinct from that of other pop acts I've heard, and though this is a band you want to route for, the truth is that they really need to develop a more unique sound. They've got the talent, but need some more panache. review by Joe McGlinchey — undated —

b r a n d o n

Well, if October Project and Loreena McKennitt can be reviewed on this site, I suppose Grey Eye Glances shouldn't be overlooked either. The short version of this review is: if you like either October Project release, you'll like this release as well. The presence of Echolyn's Paul Ramsey and Brett Kull doesn't hurt, nor does the fact that vocalist Jennifer Nobel has a voice just as good as OP's Mary Fahl, if a little less deep. The music is a similar brand of lushly orchestrated vocal pop; but while the voice of Ms. Nobel is no doubt the center of attention, what makes the album so good is that it's a group effort - the backing instruments manage to give great performances without intruding on the singer. Kull and Ramsey aren't particularly notable - don't expect any soloing! - but they do a great job, though inexplicably a drum machine replaces Ramsey on a couple of tracks. The string arrangements present on songs like "Chills" (my personal favorite) and "Snow" are great as well. The songs themselves are a mix of upbeat and mournful, and almost all of them are effective and enjoyable. If you enjoy this sort of orchestrated, melodic pop, this is a good band to look into. review by Brandon Wu — undated —