Reverend Glasseye's Our Lady of the Broken Spine A Smash Junior Release

If 2005 was a signifying year for the impending doom of scourge from above, then Reverend Glasseye's Our Lady of the Broken Spine should have been due its credit and made the soundtrack. As the third album from this amazing Boston band, Glasseye's latest release is an experimental stride, to say the least.

Not only have the songwriting and production progressed, the aesthetics have become finely-tune to a unique, impacting musical craft apt of truly altering the listeners' perspectives.

It's Glasseye's voice that exalts the album. Weariness drives the leading vocals and remains cautionary throughout the album's body. His storytelling has grown immensely since 2001's Black River Falls and is sure to only get better. He may sound like he's selling the listeners snake oil but he proves-again and again-he's genuinely a complicated artist who knows what he's talking about: salvation.

In a style that is difficult to label, the band's sounds reflect that of a despotic church from the old west-yodels, tripped-out twang, and all. Yet there's no need for a gimmick here; Reverend Glasseye rocks out in a fashion that can never be emulated by any alt-country gothic revivalists. A distinct drudgery underlies the theme of the music of Our Lady and, unlike his other albums; there is the graduation from anything that might sound too much like Tom Waits.

Rather, this is one more suitable for punk rock funerals or moonless carnivals. Wavering singing can often play off of the lyrics or manifest the crux of the dynamically narrated songs. Aside from Reverend Glasseye's vocal contributions, Piet Masone's vocal range and the female harmonics also add to the intoxicating madness of it all.

Horns of different calibers bring a rich booming to many tracks and provide a rolling force for others. Solid drumming from one of the young greats Tim Maher ignites every track. There's always a bad-ass frenzy of guitar and the bass stands out solidly-two factors definitely stood out to the crowd that voted Reverend Glasseye last year's winners of the notorious Boston Rock N' Roll Rumble.

In the end, Our Lady of the Broken Spine is a musical revival. I know I was led to it by a general apathy of musical output today-specifically that of the mainstream's. It's got everything going for it; this one is definitely worth its weight, whether it's in the car or at a party.

It's smart, it's sexy, and it's timeless. And it's only going to get better-Reverend Glasseye is working with an orchestra for his next project. So pick this one up before you have to play catch-up… and join in the fun before you lose any more faith or get swallowed up in the rapture.