Gluecifer--Automatic Thrill
SPV 2004
As one of the top acts the action rock explosion spawned, Gluecifer will always have a great deal of expectation tied to any new release they offer. So, what's the verdict on their new album Automatic Thrill? Same top notch quality, yet some tweaks have been made in the fine tuning. The result is a listen which advances the band's vision without totally forsaking the approach that made you love them in the first place.
As has always been the case, Gluecifer's sound occupies a sort of middleground between Turbonegro and the Hellacopters. While in the past that balance has always tilted a bit more towards the 'Copters' direction, here it's a feel more akin to Scandinavian Leather. This is thanks in large part to the fairly glossed production touch Automatic Thrill has. This disc still sports plenty of balls but it isn't sick-assed raw, either. The improved clarity makes it easier to pick out subtle overtones used in each song and that's a good thing. Still, if you were expecting Ridin' The Tiger or Soaring With Eagles..., this isn't it.
Along with a more mature overall presentation, Automatic Thrill also sees Gluecifer experimenting a bit in the songwriting department. "Here Come The Pigs" and the title track stand out for the synth shading they boast. Keys also play an important role during the enormous sounding slide-drenched avalanche of "A Call From The Other Side" and the organ tinted "Car Full Of Stash." Gluecifer manage to delve into psych territory on "Freeride" which features a lick nicked almost directly from the Yardbirds classic "Heart Full Of Soul." Still, the most far out tinkering goes down on "The Good Times Used To Kill Me." Sporting spoken styled vox that recalls Lou Reed during the more subdued moments and Iggy's recent rants when things pick up, this cut is the most unlike anything Gluecifer have done before. Diehards, fear not--the boys deliver it very straightforward with "Put Me On A Plate" and "Dr. Doktor." New fan or old one, there's something for everybody on Automatic Thrill.
Progression can sometimes mess up a good musical thing but Gluecifer seem to pull it all off here with no apparent growing pains. It may take longtime fans several spins to warm to Automatic Thrill but the big payoff is sure to eventually reveal itself. Worth the time and effort.
Score this CD directly from SPV
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