Glass Hammer Travels Back to Early Prog

Glass Hammer – Chronomonaut (Sound Resources/Arion Records, 2018)

Chronomonaut is part 2 of a concept album developed by American progressive rock band Glass Hammer. The story follows Tom, a progressive rock-obsessed individual who received alien voices speaking to him through his favorite albums. Volume 1, Chronometree centered on Tom’s teenage years in the late 1970s. On Chronomonaut, Tom has grown up and experiences a mid-life crisis. The voices have returned and have been inciting Tom to time-travel back to the splendor days of the early progressive scene.

Glass Hammer have nailed it. They have captured the essence of early progressive rock, where proto symphonic influences met Beatles influences; brass-fueled rock-jazz similar to Blood, Sweat and Tears and early Chicago; folk-rock, and psychedelia. Although considerably less symphonic than many of their previous recordings, the instrumental section led by current members Babb, Raulston and Schendel is formidable, with memorable guitar solos, magnificent keyboards, creative drumming and lead bass lines.

On the vocal side, the band uses various vocalists, including current member Susie Bogdanowicz as well as Discipline’s Matthew Parmenter and a local Gospel singer called Patton Locke.

The Glass Hammer lineup on this album includes Steve Babb on bass, keyboards, lead and backing vocals; Fred Schendel on keyboards, guitars and backing vocals; Susie Bogdanowicz on lead vocals; and Aaron Raulston on drums.

Guests featured: Brian Brewer on guitar, steel guitar and mandolin; Jamison Smeltz on saxophone; Matthew Parmenter on lead vocals; Chris Herin on guitar; Reese Boyd on guitar; Phil Stiles on guitars; Tommy Ogle on saxophone; Bria Poteet on trombone; Stephen Bearden on trumpet; and Randall Williams on drums.

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