Glorious 70mm is the musical project of Josh Carples, a singer-songwriter based in Montgomery, Alabama.
With their upcoming album Death is For Mortals No Longer an Evil, But a Blessing, Glorious 70mm sets a stage and absolutely (post-)rocks you on it. Not to say the sound is unpolished, quite the opposite actually, but throughout the experience I can feel a raw energy transposing from my headphones into my ears, letting me know that Glorious 70mm is a force to reckon with. He has a point, and he isn't afraid to come forth with the might to make you understand it.
I was especially moved by "The Experience of Nonexistence," a title that reminds me of my own mortality (not sure if that's intended by the artist, or if I just have a vivid imagination). The track expresses in sound the dialectical conundrum that is life, with soothing guitar melodies standing diametrically opposed to imposing, mesmerizing drums that seem to cultivate tension with every hit. It's a push and pull that never quite resolves, which feels like the whole point.
In "A Stern Grandmother's Lecture," I could hear a conversation between two people through nothing more than an awesome production of two panned guitars. One feels calm and measured, almost pleading, while the other is sharp and insistent, unwilling to back down. Their interplay creates immense intensity and a tense atmosphere without a single word being spoken.
And just as tense as it gets, so smooth is its release, because the next song, "Grandfather Speaks of Hummingbirds," meets the listener with the equivalent sonic experience the title suggests. It feels light and airy, like a held breath finally let go.
Taken together, these three tracks paint a picture of the themes of the record, moving through existential weight, interpersonal friction, and quiet release. And still, none of them was even my favorite.
That's what makes this album such a rewarding listen. The artist creates an intense, involving soundscape that mixes with your emotions, the ups and downs and everything in between, track after track. I won't speak more of the album's other songs, so the reader can experience them unbiased, unannounced, and discover them for themselves. I urge everyone to give this a go.
