Turnstile - GLOW ON
Hardcore Punk – Released August 27, 2021 – 15 songs, 35 mins
FOLLOWER REVIEW SPECIAL! WELCOME, JACK!
JACK
In the day and age where human beings conceal many of the things that trouble them, GLOW ON is the catharsis that we as people yearn for more than ever.
Coming in at a shade under 35 minutes, Baltimore’s alternative hardcore darlings unleash feelings of doubt, insecurity and confusion married with in-your-face riffs and a perfect balance of sound elements.
MYSTERY is the optimal choice for the opening track on the 15-track record, frontman Brendan Yates asks a series of rhetorical questions while standing firm on his values.
Next up is a number that sounds taken right out of an EA Sports NHL video game soundtrack — BLACKOUT is an arena headbanger that could ignite a fire under even the most mild-mannered of hard rock listeners.
A standout track that demonstrates the bands’ ability to successfully mix-and-match genres is UNDERWATER BOI. Twangy, SoCal guitars complement the verses before the strings turn it up to 11 in unison with a catchy chorus. Call it Surf n’ Turf, if you’d like.
Later in the album, audiences are treated to the inclusion of renowned artist and producer Dev Hynes, otherwise known as Blood Orange. Hynes leaves his mark on three songs — including ALIEN LOVE CALL — Yates repeatedly shouts that he “can’t be the only one” in a longing for relatability, while Hynes offers subtle optimism for acceptance in a crossover that we never thought we needed.
I would hardly call GLOW ON ‘experimental’ as Turnstile have retained their haymaker brand of punk rock music without trading in any authenticity. However, the exploration of alternative styles has validated the groups’ ability to reach for the sun in a direction that never seems forced.
Overall Rating: 8.9/10
Favourite Song: MYSTERY
LUNDI
Wow. An absolute plot twist. Can’t be sure what was expected when first clicking play on this follower request, but it sure wasn’t this. Turnstile kick down the doors and blow the roof off with their fourth studio album GLOW ON.
This album is not about bringing punk to mainstream but elevating the genre to incredible new heights. It comes across as typical in your face punk on first glance but the fingerprints of Dre/Eminem producer Mike Elizonedo and R&B crooner Dev Hynes/Blood Orange give it special touches that become clearer with every listen and allow it to become a 2021 standout effort.
Lead singer and co-producer Brendon Yates certainly doesn’t leave his punk roots behind though. GLOW ON channels the likes of Rage Against The Machine, early years Arctic Monkeys, and punk icons Green Day. The drumming, both authentic and machine based, is chaotic to say the least and is the standout feature of the album. The duelling guitars and bass lines are not far behind as they riff off each other throughout with enough distortion to knock you off your feet. It all comes together as a complete effort from the band that produces electric results.
“If it makes you feel alive. Well, then I’m happy to provide.” GLOW ON is hardcore punk perfection in the form of a scream your heart out album. Turnstile tap into the emotions you didn’t know you even had and leave you feeling the utmost satisfaction.
Overall Rating: 8.8/10
Favourite Song: BLACKOUT
ROZ
Right where we left off, it looks like TSR is doubling it up on the punk rock genre. This week we dive into our first follower request of 2022: GLOW ON by Turnstile. Great to have you aboard, Jack.
GLOW ON is a sonic delight. Its fast paced, guitar-laden ballads get up and in your face with songs such as BLACKOUT, HOLIDAY, and ENDLESS inspiring the irresistible urge to run into a mosh pit head first. Like all good albums however, this is just the first layer; as you dig deeper you begin to realize the genre bending that’s actually taking place from track to track. Percussive perfection is the only way to describe the entire experience as each song takes its turn adopting styles from dance music to rhythmic latin grooves and everything in between.
The band touches on the search for one's own meaning in the world and the yearning for a connection; introspective and existential subjects that perfectly mimic the societal and mental turmoil that COVID-19 has created (with HUMANOID/SHAKE IT UP calling out the pandemic almost directly while at the same time paying homage to the legendary Ramones). The album takes deep, gulping breaths of air in tracks such as UNDERWATER BOI and ALIEN LOVE CALL, with the former being the only song that runs over three minutes. This realization further highlights the break-neck speed GLOW ON is clocking in at and how easily the high energy live experience can be visualized.
When I first started this review, I stated that the TSR team was diving back into punk rock. It turns out that GLOW ON offered so much more, as it not only exposes the listener to the signature sounds of hardcore punk but also explores the many other sonic landscapes within indie rock, psychedelia and pop. Through this journey, Turnstile elevates themselves out of any sort of mold and brings about a creative, polished rock sound that leaves very little room for critique.
Overall Rating: 8.8/10
Favourite Song: T.L.C.
REID
Album 55 is a follower request and for the first time ever… FOLLOWER REVIEW! Our boy Jack Thompson is gracing us with his thoughts on GLOW ON by American punk rock band, Turnstile. I hope you guys are excited for this little wrinkle because I’m pumped to read his review and see his handsome mug stacked on that Instagram post with the TSR crew.
Turnstile is a five-man group that have been active with 5 EPs and 3 studio albums since 2010. GLOW ON received critical acclaim and wound up on several album of the year lists in 2021. They’re new to me so let’s see what they’re all about.
My immediate thoughts when the guitar kicked in on MYSTERY were ‘I missed this’. TSR haven’t reviewed a comparable style since Rage and DFA1979 in early October of last year. And before then? Never. The heavy hitting guitar riffs pack an absolute punch song after song. Brendan Yates kills it on lead vocals. He can sing. He can scream. He can string words together in hip hop fashion De La Rocha style. His counterpart Franz Lyons takes the vocal lead on a couple of tracks and does an admirable job as well. It’s rare for bandmates to show this versatility but very cool, especially in a live setting. On top of that, the vocal harmonies are very well done and the bandmates share this endeavour. A critical piece of anything structured is the foundation and that’s exactly what Daniel Fang provides on drums. The urge to tap along is irresistible. Additional instruments throughout add a unique touch to their sound including the cowbell! I’ve never heard so much cowbell and I love it. I imagine the recordings went something like this.
GLOW ON isn’t just a punk rock album. Turnstile mix things up with some 311 vibes. A bit of funk and a lot of melody is included in this 35-minute package. One that is produced and composed very well. Everything fits just right.
You need more hands to count the number of times GLOW ON gives you that ‘oh yeah, f*ck me up’ feeling. Turnstile has my attention and it should have yours. Thanks Jack!
Overall Rating – 8.7/10
Favourite Song – FLY AGAIN