Album Review

The Glitterati – Are You One Of Us?

• 19th Apr 2010

What energy! The Glitterati are faster than a speeding bullet when it comes to getting going. They waste no time with their new album, ‘Are You One of Us?’ which positively explodes into being with ‘Right from the Start’, which, right from the start, promises individuality and ingenuity to follow. This album has a fantastically fun 80s rock sound to it, but at the same time it feels far from dated, largely down to its edgy vocals which reek of attitude.

With each new song comes a new burst of energy and personality, and whilst vocalist Paul Gautrey may bemoan “at this time, I’m feeling disappointed” come ‘Can’t Say No’, listeners will feel far from disappointed as the guitar rocks on merrily in the background with pazazz and obvious skill. The single track, ‘Fight Fight Fight’ sounds incredibly Guns’n’Roses ‘Raw Power’ and boasts a classic solo which neither drags nor shows off. The shortest track on the album, it flies by in a blink but with such great music in store it’s hardly a tragedy.

The Glitterati’s whole sound is so brilliantly raunchy, largely down to Gautrey’s sultry, sex-laden vocals matched with the classic rock guitaring and ‘in-yer-face’ drumming which, although fairly un-complex, adds a vital layer to the overall sound of the band. Production wise it comes across flawlessly, with just the right measure of each component shaping up into a recipe for a perfectly balanced rock ‘n’ roll album.

And just when you think you’ve heard everything this album has to offer, along comes ‘Shanty’, a bittersweet rock’n’roll ballad. The guitar sweeps are long and lingering for the most part, with a punchy pre-chorus interlude which keeps you firmly on your toes. ‘Keeping Me Down’ does everything but what its name describes, as even at this late point in the album the energy levels of these young northern lads continues to skyrocket upwards.

No detail has been overlooked on this album; even the track ordering is in context. The closing song, ‘Lola It’s Over’ takes us “back to square one” and as the album drifts into silence on the repeated refrain “it’s over”, I for one feel that it is in fact far from it. The song ends but longevity of the energy which has continually built since the beginning of the album is hugely refreshing. So, in answer to the question ‘Are You One of Us?’, the only answer that I for one can think of is a resounding ‘yes!’