The Hairs, Glitter

"You can learn a lot about the Hairs through main-man(e) Kevin Alvir's chosen song titles: There's the gender-bent 'Jack Becomes A Policewoman,' a new single with a name posing the same sort of pithy illustrative twist as the previously posted 'Balding College Girls.' Titles to catch you off guard, quick twisters to pair with the fun, blunt quirk of a track (title) like 'Duh x 12!' So that's the Hairs, then, in a name or three: clever and twisty in melody and buried guitar lines, simple and immediate in fuzz, and pulse, and its ostensibly slapdash home-recorded vibe."-Stereogum


Glitter's roots are in the indie pop scene of the 90's, influenced by British bands Teenage Fanclub, the Vaselines, and Felt. Initially called Suckle Highway, they played the 2009 Trenton Avenue Arts Festival with a drum machine and cowboy hats. A few line-up changes later, the band features Jayme Guokas on vocals/guitar, Melissa Cresswell on keyboards, Isaac Turner on guitar, Michael Bonfiglio on bass, and Stephen Horcha on drums. They crafted a sound on their debut album Wyld Hrts fusing indie pop to darker psychedelia, with a dash of 80s new wave. Their series of three 4-song EPs veered into new sonic spaces. Glitter's synergy and songwriting have reached a peak on their latest album Ancient Rome. Produced by Jeff Zeigler (Kurt Vile, The War on Drugs), the album ranges from pop sensibilities to heavy metal. Standout tracks are the post-punk "Beyond the Mirror" and danceable "The Animal".

RIYL:
The Smiths, early R.E.M., Television, Teenage Fanclub, Galaxie 500, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Go-Betweens, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Real Estate, Literature