(Editor’s Note: Since this tour wasn’t passing through Tampa I asked long time reader, Adam Fenwick, to cover the North Carolina show. He agreed and here we are.)

The Rock Report: Lucero & Glossary @ The Visulite Theater in Charlotte, N.C. Feb. 23, 2010

Oh. Fuck. Yeah. Those three words kept running through my head last night at Charlotte’s Visulite Theater as I got my first taste of ninebullets.net favorites Lucero and Glossary for the first time.

I’ll be the first to admit that I went into Tuesday’s show a little blind. I knew next to nothing about each band and only knew a few songs from each bands library (I spent Tuesday at work listening to as much Lucero as I could get my hands on via MySpace) but by the end of the night I was highly impressed.

Glossary took the stage earlier than expected, about 15 to 20 minutes before their 9 p.m. start time. At this point the crowd at the Visulite was thin, but that didn’t stop those who were there from getting into the show (much as I did).

I took the show in from a bar stool near the back of the venue as I’ve found standing looking up at the stage tends to make my back ache the following day (yes, I’m a wussy, get over it). On the plus side, I was able to see the stage easily and this allowed me to really enjoy the music (while head banging when appropriate).

While I have to say I was disappointed when Glossary finished their set (I wanted them to play “Save Your Money For The Weekend” again) I was stoked to finally get my first taste of Lucero. By the time the main event hit the stage the venue had filled up nicely (it wasn’t packed to the gills, but there was a pretty decent crowd on hand).

Everything I’d read about Lucero’s live act in the days before the show turned out to be absolutely true. This band of merry men hit the stage and ripped the crowd to shreds. While I wasn’t familiar with a large portion of what was played it wasn’t hard to get into the groove of things. As far as I’m concerned Lucero played rock and roll like it was supposed to be played.

I made sure to pick up copies of Lucero’s “1372 Overton Park” and Glossary’s “Feral Fire” for use in my CD player for the foreseeable future before exiting at around 11:30 p.m. While this may have been my first exposure to both bands, I have no doubt that it won’t be my last.

Glossary – Save Your Money For The Weekend
Glossary – Through The Screen Door

Lucero – Sixes and Sevens
Lucero – Darken My Door

Well. Fuck me.

One of the things I learned in school is that journalists (and I use the term loosely) are supposed to create a subjective distance between themselves and their subjects. One doesn’t say, “I think,” or “it seems to me.” One leaves oneself out of the equation entirely. I’m going to give it to you straight, there is not a chance I’m going to be able to do that.

I’ll start by addressing Glossary directly.

Dear Glossary, you make no-frills, unabashed rock n’ roll records with just enough elements of classic pop and country to keep me honest. Also, you named your record after a phrase from Cormac McCarthy’s novel, The Road. So I guess my question is, did I somehow create you? How is it that you know exactly what I’m looking for in a band? You know what, Glossary, don’t answer that. I prefer an air of mystery.

Feral Fire is as immediately arresting and impressive an album as I have heard since I discovered Six String Drag’s swan song, High Hat. Frontman and chief songwriter Joey Kneiser describes Feral Fire as an album about “figuring out everything is so massive and you’re so small,” and, as Kneiser and wife Kelly harmonize over the mammoth sound their band creates, it’s tough to imagine anything seeming large by comparison.

Whether offering perspective (“Bend With the Breeze”), or freewheeling advice (“Save Your Money for the Weekend”), Kneiser’s lyrics are so well-framed by his bandmates that he could be reading the fine print on a life insurance policy and it would still be compelling. The band is just that good.

With Feral Fire, Glossary has delivered an album that is at once swaggering and vulnerable, merciless and sublime. It is far too early in the year for predictions, but I’m tentatively reserving slots 1 – 5 on my 10 Best of 2010 list for Feral Fire which makes for a firm placement on the 2010 Essential Listening list.

Glossary – Save Your Money for the Weekend (from Feral Fire)
Glossary – Bend With the Breeze (from Feral Fire)

Glossary’s Official Site, Glossary on myspace, Buy Feral Fire

THE STORY ABOUT THE IMAGE AT THE TOP OF THIS POST:

Hey everyone, Autopsy IV here to explain the image at the top of this post. No, that’s not the album cover for Feral Fire. You can see the actual album cover here. Through some twitter conversations this week I learned that Bingham Barnes (bass player) has a massive obsession/crush on Ke$ha spurring from the fact that she’s from Nashville and apparently has a thing for “short, round, bearded dudes”. Apparently, he made the image one night to be funny and I thought it’d be funny x2 to use it in this post. That said, Kelly wanted me to make it clear to everyone that the rest of the band neither shares nor appreciates this obsession.

Too bad, I bet a Glossaryfied version of Tik Tok with Kelly manning the mic would have been pretty sweet.

This album landed in my inbox over the weekend and I couldn’t get it downloaded and playing fast enough.

Joey Kneiser is the lead singer of the Murfreesboro, Tennessee based Americana outfit, Glossary. While Glossary is currently prepping their new album, Feral Fire, for a February 2, 2010 release Joey decided to offer up his brand new solo album, The All-Night Bedroom Revival, for free download. It’s a must get for any Glossary fan and a great intro for anyone wondering who in the hell we’re raving about.

Joey Kneiser – Adelina
Joey Kneiser – Bruised Ribs

Why after the Two Cow post? Well, you know the lyrics from Two Cow‘s song, Humble Narrator, “the one about a boy / who broke your heart / and brought you to your knees / it was a slow sad waltz / in 3/4′s time / by my friends from Tennessee“? Well, here’s an interesting piece of trivia: those friends are Glossary.

So there. Below is a reprint of the original post I did on the album. Read it. Listen to the samples and then go download the cd. It’s free…

Jesus H. Christ. I am ashamed of myself.

I have been meaning to post a piece about this fantastic album for months, but other than a passing mention that it was available for free (and legal) download, there has been nothing but radio silence from ninebullets. Tonight, when I opened my “shit you need to write about” document and stared at Glossary on top of the list, I decided that it was time to break my silence (to steal a line from Rick Saunders).

So, back in early October, Glossary made their fifth studio album, The Better Angels Of Our Nature, available for free download on their site (btw: it’s still there so you have no excuse for not listening to it). Another reviewer said this in closing about the cd:

I’d have to really start searching to find any faults on this record, and that doesn’t seem fair. Not when a band is doing everything they can to help you get to hear the songs. Not when every song channels and emotion and reminds you of days past, friends you don’t see and lovers you’ve burned through. If you can tell me a better free gift than that, I’d love to hear it.

I really think that covers my feelings on Better Angels of Our Nature. It’s a Southern rock album minus the obvious Southern references of the Drive-By Truckers. A Southern rock album that’s more Saturday afternoon than Saturday night. I think, if you listen to the album, that’ll make sense.

Two things are for sure though- with The Better Angels Of Our Nature, Glossary made the best album of their 10 year career, and it gets a seat on my Essential Listening list. Give it a chance, it’s free.

Glossary – Only Time Will Tell
Glossary – Almsgiver
Glossary – Little Caney

Glossary’s Official Site, Glossary on myspace

Jesus H. Christ. I am ashamed of myself.

I have been meaning to post a piece about this fantastic album for months, but other than a passing mention that it was available for free (and legal) download, there has been nothing but radio silence from ninebullets. Tonight, when I opened my “shit you need to write about” document and stared at Glossary on top of the list, I decided that it was time to break my silence (to steal a line from Rick Saunders).

So, back in early October, Glossary made their fifth studio album, The Better Angels Of Our Nature, available for free download on their site (btw: it’s still there so you have no excuse for not listening to it). Another reviewer said this in closing about the cd:

I’d have to really start searching to find any faults on this record, and that doesn’t seem fair. Not when a band is doing everything they can to help you get to hear the songs. Not when every song channels and emotion and reminds you of days past, friends you don’t see and lovers you’ve burned through. If you can tell me a better free gift than that, I’d love to hear it.

I really think that covers my feelings on Better Angels of Our Nature. It’s a Southern rock album minus the obvious Southern references of the Drive-By Truckers. A Southern rock album that’s more Saturday afternoon than Saturday night. I think, if you listen to the album, that’ll make sense.

Two things are for sure though- with The Better Angels Of Our Nature, Glossary made the best album of their 10 year career, and it gets a seat on my Essential Listening list. Give it a chance, it’s free.

Glossary – Only Time Will Tell
Glossary – Almsgiver
Glossary – Little Caney

Glossary’s Official Site, Glossary on myspace

Glossary‘s new album The Better Angels Of Our Nature is being offered for free download on their web site today. There will also be a limited run cd available come October 23.

Go check it out.

Sample: Only Time Will Tell