Glitter Glamour Atrocity

Originally released in 2007 before being reissued by Thrill Jockey in 2014, Glitter Glamour Atrocity is the third album from the prolific N.Y.C. space rock outfit White Hills. This early record finds the duo in a more meditative mood, opening the album with "Air Waves"'s spoken word intro where a reverby voice attempts to ready the listener's mind for the Motorik, psychedelic rock freak-out that is about to come. The first half of the album unfolds as a series of gently simmering highs and easy comedowns, as if the band is providing the listener with a warm up before it gets into the real hard stuff in the album's back half. From the first ominous bass notes of "Long Serve Remember," it becomes clear that White Hills have been hiding a darker, altogether more sinister agenda, steering the trip in a bad direction as the song breaks itself apart with a combination of atmospheric noise, keening vocals, and an excerpt from a rambling George W. Bush speech before righting itself back into a scuzzed-out stoner groove. By the time the album reaches the gentle conclusion of its sprawling, self-titled track, White Hills have completely torn down and rebuilt the walls of their sonic reality, leaving the listener feeling slightly fried as they're guided back to the real world by a swirling whisper that stands in stark contrast to the song's climax, a passage so fuzzy it feels as though the song is trying to tear itself apart. Glitter Glamour Atrocity is a standout album in White Hills' massive discography, and fans of the band will undoubtedly be thrilled with Thrill Jockey for making this mind-blowing rock & roll head trip widely available. ~ Gregory Heaney