What began as a simple play around on recording equipment in one of the hidden back rooms at the record store that Phil Elvrum worked at during his teenage years soon became one of the most critically acclaimed records of the nineties. What was special about “The Glow pt.2” however was that it still managed to be loved by critics whilst being a record that was whispered about by music lovers the world over. A wonderful underground secret passed on by word of mouth. A secret that hopefully continues to be shared to this day by older fans to newer converts.
If you could attribute a direct emotion to “The Glow.” it would be one of intimacy, that closeness Buried in amongst layers of tape hiss and natural ambience of its surroundings that was the legendary dub Narcotic Studio, the basement located below K records founder Calvin Johnson’s apartment in Olympia, Washington. The sound of “The Glow Pt. 2” however, conjures up the vision of Phil Elvrum’s bedroom where piles of clothes weave around the various musical instruments that have been bought or found to help bring the musical ideas to life and the lonely, intense figure of Elvrum working until the early hours trying to commit to tape what is going around his head.
Musically it’s a foundation of hushed acoustic guitar chords with Elvrums gentle vocals softly sung over the top. The real beauty within “The Glow pt.2” is the layering of different instrumentation over the top of this musical groundwork. The title track’s breakdown of elvrum’s vocals and a depth of overdubbed organs from the crash of drums and fuzzed out guitars that sandwich the songs middle section and the lyrical consideration of mortality is almost overwhelming. The funeral march of “The gleam pt.2”, its verses rhythmically controlled by sinister handclaps and steel drums is terrifying in its bright melodicism, the warm, summery sound of steel drums taken out of context to play with the listeners aural emotions. The gentler side of The Microphones is found in the folkier tracks “Headless Horseman” and “I Felt Your Shape” that serve as breathers between the floods of glorious noise. Gentle fingerpicked guitars and Elvrums soft vocals allowing the listener to hear the more stripped down side of the The Microphones and the vulnerability that runs through the whole record.
The Microphones made records for late nights and headphones pushed tight into ears to feel the warm comfort of mellow tape hiss and the subdued vocals of Phil Elvrum. “The Glow pt.2” was the greatest example of the bands beauty. The twenty song tracklisting and over an hours’ worth of music gave you a chance to immerse yourself completely in the records charm.
You can hear its Influence today in musicians such as Jeffrey Lewis who embraced the lo-fi folk side of Phil Elvrum through to the Arcade Fire who take the grand majesty and gigantic ambitious sound that “The Glow pt.2” frequently hits.
If you love the genius and heart in Neutral milk hotels “In the Aeroplane over the Sea” and the innocent fascination of Daniel Johnson, “The glow pt.2” will make an excellent musical companion to both these artists.
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