After making his debut as
Glitterer with an eponymous set of moody bedroom synth pop in 2017,
Title Fight bassist
Ned Russin teamed up with
Alex Giannascoli -- aka
(Sandy) Alex G -- on the angstier Not Glitterer EP.
Giannascoli returns to the producer's chair for 2019's
Looking Through the Shades alongside Philadelphia metal vet
Arthur Rizk (
Sumerlands,
Cavalera Conspiracy), who is credited as co-producer. Anchored in churning, distorted guitar but still incorporating glistening synths and hooky melodies,
Looking Through the Shades is more explosive and just plain louder than its predecessors, with
Russin also letting loose on vocals. He flexes his emo muscles with lyrics like "I can't help what time it is/I'm out of luck/But everything is now because It once was" on "Again," a song that juxtaposes harsh rhythm guitar tones with toy piano-type bell timbres. With
Russin covering nearly all of the album's performances except for live drums (those are by his brother and
Title Fight bandmate
Ben Russin), a similar palette appears on tracks including "1001" and "Digging in the Trash." Without alleviating the persistent anxiety, "Destiny" and "Building" are among the songs with a heavier synth presence; "Destiny" ("I didn't want it/That's why it's destiny") adopts a shimmery post-punk sound fleshed out with plodding fuzz and crashing cymbals. Sparer entries include the theatrical "The News" and "Anxious Eyes," whose bass, one-finger-at-a-time keyboard line, and simple drums lay bare agitated vocals that wait impatiently for something to change ("Peaking through the blinds/Unveil a world that looks the same"). Consisting mostly of short rants and frustrated observations (along with a couple of instrumental interludes), the album's 14 tracks clock in at 21 minutes, leaving an emotional release and a puff of cigarette smoke in its wake more than a particular earworm. ~ Marcy Donelson