[.ca] Glow

From Amazon.com:
Karen Peris is a vocal ringer for Natalie Merchant (though there's also the faintest hint of Bjork in her delivery), and the band is unfailingly tuneful in acoustic guitar-piano mode. Hypnotic, slow-paced gems abound, notably "Everything's Different Now" (not the Aimee Mann song), "That Was Another Country," and "Bright as Yellow." --Jeff Bateman

Wonderful:
From beginning to end, Glow provides uplifting, heartwarming, and sometimes sorrowful (yet calming and reassuring) songs that do not disappoint. Another fine effort from The Innocence Mission.

It Shimmers and Glows Like Spring:
Back in 1989, as a music mad gal, writing reviews for an underground fanzine, I caught a tune on a local college radio station. It was a song called "I Remember Me" by The Innocence Mission. It was a lovely, breezy track that matched the jangly beauty of sound that was emerging from certain bands who were in a niche between the hippy hop of the Manchester Sound and the budding world of the Seattle scene of the day. I purchased their self titled album ("The Innocence Mission") and snapped my fingers happily to the tracks. Yes, they have The Sundays sound, but one can ponder if The Sundays actually have The Innocence Mission sound, since both groups emerged around the same time. The ethereal vibe and vocals seem to show them to be cousins in style; yet, the similarites end at Karen Paris' vocals - which are about a shade removed from Harriet Wheeler's. However, this is not a comparison on the two groups. They are actually different in rhythm and musical texture. I've been keeping my fingers in the musical pie for quite a while now, but I admit I lost track of The Innocence Mission, figuring they probably drowned with the said Sundays, or various other groups who bit the dust since. I was surprised, after sampling this lovely album of luscious hooks in the local music store to see they've stayed afloat, and have been making some beauties, thank you very much. Boy, have I been missing the boat. "Glow" is a musical treasure that immediately starts with a dreamy riff, taking you by the hand for a journey of tunes and floating guitar evoking the feeling of spring fever. "Keeping Awake" kicks of the stream of sound that leads into the Velvet Underground infused "Bright As Yellow", pulsating in a dreamy ramble, over to my favorite track "Brave - a mixture of amazing melodic hooks that take you to certain emotional corners. "There" is another sunny summer day tune that makes you want to lay in a hammock and smell some cut grass and flowers. This albums provides what I can only describe as drinking cold sweet lemonade on a sun drenched porch, or driving your car with the top down on the first fresh, warm day day in spring. "Glow" was playing on my iPod this morning while riding the subway. The tracks were so bright and beautiful, I think I fell in love with every man I saw.

Everything I had hoped for:
I'm a big fan of the Sundays, and they are a fairly unique band... it's hard to find music that captures the same ethereal foggy atmosphere of that band. I heard a lot of comparisons to the Sundays when I was reading about the Innocence Mission, and thought that was very intriguing... it's not often bands are compared to the Sundays. The music is great. The vocals are as good if not better, the guitaring is similar in style and nearly as good, and the overall atmosphere of the music is spot-on. This is the kind of music that takes you to a foggy dreamland, wrapped in a flannel blanket drinking peppermint tea. I love it. If you like the Sundays, you should probably like this too.

Better than Natalie:
A ringer for Natalie Merchant? Sorry, no. Better than Natalie Merchant? Definitely.I would have to say that Karen/Innocence Mission's output has been much more consistent (as in, always great, heartfelt and graceful), and I would recommend any IM cd very highly.

A+++++:
I have owned this CD since it came out in 1995 and it still frequently resides in my home and auto cd players. It is an incomparable record. On my deathbead, I want a good book, a cat sleeping at my feet, and Glow playing on my stereo. I was also happy to see there was another reviewer from San Antonio. You wouldn't be my husband, would you? Nobody I talk to around here has heard of this group. What a shame. Everyone raves about Karen's voice, and I wholeheartedly agree, but it is her lyrics that get under my skin. They always evoke vivid images and feelings. "Oh, I'm near to sleeping, I'm keeping awake, hearing your voice in the house..." "And I do not want to be a rose. I do not wish to be pale pink, but flower scalet, flower gold. And have no thorns to distance me." "And the birds of all your yellow teacups sing, and you know this hymm." "We will squint into the sun, waving madly at the camera, Harry standing in the front. And I will be sitting on his shoulders." "And we'll dance through yellow yards, like a dress on the line, closing our eyes, losing this: I know nothing about so many, too many things." The closeness Karen & Don Peris feel to their families is so tangible. Their music is soothing and uplifting, sad and hopeful and joyous. I just really love this band.

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