GLENN ROWLANDS
RED ROAD
2008 Independent
glennrowlands.bandcage.com
Review by: Matt Crosslin
The common reaction that I get when I mention this new Glenn Rowlands disc to people is: “that name sounds familiar – but I can’t remember where.” Glenn was an underground name back in the late 80s and early 90s. He was in the thrash/hardcore/rapcore band Wickeds End. He started an independent label called Floppy Fish, put out some solo CDs, had some songs on some compilations, and then disappeared. Somewhere in there you might have heard his name.
Glenn had a bit of hard luck, which you can read about on his MySpace page or one of the sites linked from there. What have the years done to him musically? “Are You The Light” rips open Red Road and answers that question with an exclamation mark. Glenn can still rock and seems to have gotten some better equipment to record with since 1995! What I always liked about Glenn was that he listed some great classic rock bands as influences. The strange thing was that back in 1995 he was listing the same bands that most grunge bands were. But Glenn got those influences right where so many grunge bands got them wrong.
Glenn tells you right away that these songs were written while he was living through his hard times of homelessness, drug addictions, and even mental instability. So they explore some dark topics from time to time, but I find that what makes them even more interesting. These songs are a pretty good mix of his earlier solo CDs for Floppy Fish. And for $3, this has to be the best value CD of the year.
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