IN REVIEW: Glassjaw - "Worship and Tribute"

Reminds Me Of:
Depending on the mood, anything from Incubus and At The Drive-In to Faith No More and Deftones.

High On:
* The feverish energy of the album, in all aspects, definitely an asset boosted by the production of Ross Robinson.
* Singer Daryl Palumbo's all-over-the-map style, drawing immediate comparisons to FNM's Mike Patton when he hits more frantic moments on the album, and Brandon Boyd of Incubus most of the rest of the time. A true highlight comes in his lightning-quick play-by-play of a horse race between his mind, heart and soul in the brilliantly titled "The Gillette Cavalcade Of Sports".
* The musical ambitiousness displayed on the album, which takes them from blistering art-punk ("Tip Your Bartender") to dirgy, Deftones-ish mood pieces ("Two Tabs Of Mescaline"). Lead single "Cosmopolitan Bloodloss" is as emo as metal's ever gotten, and future single "Ape Dos Mil" captures Glassjaw at its emotional peak.
* The ultra-cool album graphics: The case is made to resemble a record player, the CD painted like a record, and the cover itself merely a see-thru plastic slip, with (what else?) the player's arms painted on it.

Low On:
* Although Palumbo's vocal ambition is appreciated, at times it does border on annoying, particularly when he employs nasal, drawn-out inflections in unnecessary places.
* The album can seem quite one-sided in its fury, and when they slow down it can have somewhat of a "whiplash" effect on the listener, a situation that could have been easily rectified with a slight rearrangement of the running order.

The Bottom Line:
'Worship And Tribute's shortcomings are miniscule compared to its strengths, and Ross Robinson has produced a winner here of the same caliber as At The Drive-In's 'Relationship Of Command'. Ross may be able to live down producing Vanilla Ice yet.

8 GREAT
Release Date: July 9, 2002 • Warner Bros.

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