If

To qualify this review a bit, I'm a big prog nut, especially symphonic prog, and this is the first Glass Hammer CD I've purchased, so I'm reviewing this mostly on its own merits. And because of that (my predilection for prog), almost any prog CD I review will be better liked than, say, Brittany Spears, Kesha, or whatever. Why am I just now buying a GH CD, being I'm a big prog fan? Well, from listening to random clips, I have to say I kind of thought they were a little wimpy for prog. As nicely summarized by another Amazon reviewer, they were sort of like a "souped-up Mannheim Steamroller"...prog-ish, yes, but a little too politely so.Initial impression? Hmmm...nice organs and synths...quite fairy-like vocals and nonsensical lyrics about freedom, the sky, the sun, dreams, your soul, and wings and stuff..."is this Yes-redux?" was my first thought.Well, it's not, but it might as well be in quite a few places. But I don't mind so much because, minus a few scattered tracks, I love 70's Yes. And to this day, I can't explain why I sort of like Yes vocalist Jon Anderson's voice (definitely an anomaly for what I normally like in the way of singing voices), but because the dude singing on this sounds VERY similar to Jon Anderson, I already kind of like the vocals as well. Add LOTS of Hammond-ish rock organ, some very Mini-Moog-ish leads, odd time signatures, nicely supporting bass/guitar/drums, and some very Jon-Anderson-ish vocalizations of "dit...did-it...dah, dah...dah" sprinkled in the mix and `voila'...you have a nice little Yes-sounding package of prog.And for me, that's mostly a positive.Do they get any points for originality on this? Nah, not really. But I did find myself thinking, "why couldn't Yes have produced something more in this vein than, say, 'Magnification' or 'the Ladder'?". It does sort of remind me of the "Keys to Ascension" tracks in a few places, which is a decent comparison I think. And, I'm happy to say, though it is a bit "fluffy and light" in places, it has enough weight to keep the "rock" in "prog rock".Only semi-negative (and for me it's a small one) would be HOW MUCH the vocalist sounds like Jon Anderson from Yes (whose name is weirdly even similar..."Jon Davidson" ). He supposedly practiced his chops singing in a Yes-tribute band, and BOY does it come across.Again, some GREAT music on here, and if you can handle Yes-like music and Yes-like vocals, you'll probably enjoy this Yes-like Glass Hammer album. Four and a half stars with a round up to five (lost a half a star for unoriginality).

Yes this is a Glass Hammer album. Yes this is one of my favorites. Yes they sound just like another famous 70s genre defining symphonic prog band. Yes you will love this album. Yes they will get "hammered" for sounding like the other band. Yes people will call them copycats. Yes they will be accused of not moving the needle forward. Yes you should buy this. Yes ...now if only I could remember the name of that other band...

First the bad news: It is crime against humanity that this band is not a household name. I just stumbled on this band on the internet by chance,nobody I know has heard of them. Too bad because...Good News: "If" is the BEST record I have heard in decades and one of the best ever!FOR REAL."If" is over 66 minutes of perfection. Not one dull moment. All the classics, Pink Floyd or YES or Zeppeplin wereall around ONLY 40 minutes. More recent albums may be over 60 minutes but always had weak moments and "filler" songs."If" is the only 66 plus minute record I have ever heard to deliver a perfect record from start to finish.I could ramble on like others about how great this record is, but I have a better idea...Just go buy the record and play it in your stereo!You will not regret it.The only thing you will regret is the feeling you will get that most other music out there is sadly not of the calibre of Glass Hammer - If.One strong opinion I do have: Stop all the comparisons to YES/ELP. Glass Hammer is unique and stands on their own.I think all the comparisons may scare people from buying "If" thinking it is derrivative. It is not.BUY IT NOW!!!!I wish I knew of more music of this quality.Thank You Glass Hammer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!P.S. I do not work for or have any connection to Glass Hammer. I am just a guy who has been blown away by this record.

Being a musician myself and a big fan Progressive Rock I found this ablum to be outsandingly amazing and inspirational. The pure virtuosity of each player stands out without being obtrusive to the other and the songs have great lyrical content as well. The lyrics I found to be mostly spiritual in nature, dealing with life, dreams and the afterlife. Being a beliver in Christianity I found this to be truly Insirtational and moving. Allthough that Jesus isn't mentioned by name the Biblical references about reaching Heaven in the song "At Last We Are" are obvious to me. "A shining King, who laughing welcomes us home at last" and "Dancing around our Father who whipes away our tears." Jon Davison's vocal preformance is very good and sounds alot like Jon Anderson from Yes. I think this is mostly why they geat compared to sounding like Yes. Although, musicaly there are some simularities to each member of Yes and their respective instruments there is alot more going on there to make it original sounding enough. Especialy in the song "Behold the Ziddle" wich seems infuenced by Emerson, Lake and palmer. If you are a fan of the old Prog-Rock and long for those MiniMoog and Melotron synthisiser sounds and music virtuosity I strongly recomend this album and group.

I am a devotee of all things progressive. The musical performances on this CD are stellar. I just can't understand the need for Jon Anderson imitation vocals??? Why? Of course Jon has an iconic voice and that is precisely why one should not mimic him (unless you are auditioning for YES, which I would suppose applies in this case). I would really love to hear a purely instrumental version of this fine work of art.

Perfect

Je découvre Glass hammer, je ne suis pas déçu, moi qui suis un grand fan de Yes.C'est un très bel album et comme tous groupes de rock progressif, à écouter plusieurs fois pour apprécier, mais après, ce n'est que pur plaisir ...If, Perrilous et The inconsolable secret sont 3 albums à recommander de ce groupe ...

美しいメロディーと変化の多い曲展開で演奏も良い。弾むようなキーボードと、メタリックに走らない伸びやかなギターが､宇宙的な幻想美を醸し出している。が、ギターはもっと自己主張してもいいのでは？もう少し聴きたいと思うと引いてしまうのが物足りない。ジャケットがややロジャー・ディーン擬きなのと、J・デイヴィソンのヴォーカルが、J・アンダーソンを意識しているのかダッダッとか歌うところは微笑ましい。

Very well done !

Dass die Glass Hammer- Rumpftruppe (Steve Babb & Fred Schendel) aus zwei großen Yes- Fans besteht, ist wahrlich kein Geheimnis. Silberstimmchen Jon Anderson hatte sogar auf ihrer letzten Progscheibe "Culture of Ascent" ein paar Backgroundvocals beigesteuert. Danach hatten Babb und Schendel mit "Three Cheers" einen kurzen musikalischen Exkurs in poppigere Gefilde eingelegt. Nun soll also wieder geproggt werden.Die große "Culture of Ascent"- Besetzung mit Drummer Mike Mendians, Gitarrist David Walliman, Sänger Carl Groves, Sängerin Suzie Bogdanovic, diversen Streichern und Backgroundvokalisten gehört der Vergangenheit an; aktuell ist man ein Quartett mit Jazzgitarrist Alan Shikoh und Sänger Jon Davison. Als Gastdrummer steht Randall Williams zur Verfügung. Wie wirkt sich der Personalwechsel denn aus?Hey, das klingt doch genau wie... ist ja ungeheuerlich. Und der neue Sänger heißt auch Jon? Hey, wirklich verteufelt ähnliche Stimme. Und auch in der Komposition der Gesangslinien könnte die Inspirationsquelle nicht eindeutiger sein. Bei den Keys passt es sowieso... und bei der Gitarre sind die metal- und fusionlastigen Riffs und Soli auch hinter gediegen angejazzten und wohlig quäksenden Retro- Läufen verschwunden. Gut, Shikoh fordert etwas weniger Entfaltungsraum als ein Steve Howe, und auch Babb agiert unauffälliger als ein Chris Squire. Aber sonst... ganz sicher, dass es nicht die Originalband unter falschem Namen ist?Atmosphärisch ist das Gesamtkonzept, wie man es von Glass Hammer kennt, eher brav und harmonisch, es finden kaum wilde Kreativitätsexplosionen statt. Im Songwriting muss man gegenüber "Perpetual Change", "Roundabout", "Heart of the Sunrise", "Close to the Edge", "Ritual" und Konsorten natürlich Abstriche machen; solche Megaklassiker werden Babb und Schendel wahrscheinlich nie schreiben. Auch "Keystudio" wird nicht getoppt, keine Chance... "Tormato" schon, falls das ein Maßstab sein könnte.Als Hörer muss man entscheiden, ob man es uneingeschränkt genießen kann, wenn eine Band so konsequent auf eigenständigen Sound verzichtet. Ich persönlich kann das gutmeinend als Hommage an die großen Vorbilder verbuchen, ich muss da jetzt kein Plagiat sehen. Dazu steckt doch zu viel Eigenarbeit in den Kompositionen, und dazu haben Glass Hammer in der Vergangenheit schon zu viele verschiedene Dinge gemacht. Fantasyfolk, Prog, Retrobombast, Gothicrock... und jetzt eben "Yes".Für mich sind das vier Sterne.