Beneath the country veil and sliding guitars of this second record from Gavin Glass and the Holy Shakers lies a collection of songs that might just find themselves in the upper echelons of top ten lists come December. Stillorgan-born Glass pours massive depth into his song writing, penning 12 magnificent numbers that he and The Holy Shakers bring to life with a wide array of tremendous instrumentation.
Terrific horn arrangements complete the country wrapped ‘Underneath The Stars’, as this opening track sets the tone for a varied and accomplished record. The Modern Gospel Ensemble contribute soaring harmonies to some of these songs, most notably the already sparkling ‘Older Than My Years.’ Dizzying banjos and mandolins dance over a pulsating backbeat on ‘The Jukebox Rag,’ while the genre defying ‘Red Dress’ boasts at one point, a powerful, almost indie-like, guitar riff.
“You never talked much/Never put out much/But I never let that get me down/Cus you were silently mine,” sings Glass on the subtle yet deeply effective ‘Silently Mine’, yet another remarkable track on what is truly a breathtaking album.