There Is So Much Here
Compass, 2022
8/10
Listen to There Is So Much Here
The Toad The Wet Sprocket frontman, Glen Phillips, returns with a solo album the examines the joys and sorrows of everyday life, and he’s got Dave Depper (Death Cab For Cutie), Ji Tanzer (Blue Cranes) and John Morgan Askew along with him for the 11 songs penned during the pandemic.
“Stone Throat” starts the listen with warm guitar and crisp drums, as Phillips offers easily relatable storytelling that comes with a folk/pop formula that he’s most known for, and “I Was A Riot” follows with Natalie Zukerman’s pretty pipes complementing the quick melodies of the subtle ska influences.
Halfway through, “The Bluest Blue” lands in piano balladry, where Phillip’s poetic singing makes for a very intimate climate, while “Center Of The Circle”, the album’s best, uses keys and strings versus the more firm guitars for a hint of grit in the alt-rock flavor.
“Let In Anarchy” and “Call The Moondust” exit the listen, where the former again focuses on piano amid the eloquent lyricism, and the latter recruits synth and samples for the dreamy and absorbing finish.
A listen that balances calm love songs and larger rockers, Phillips is at a great place in his life, and his forced break from touring during the pandemic gave him a new appreciation for sitting still and enjoying all the little things that make life so great, which transpired into this very wise, memorable body of work.
Travels well with: Duncan Sheik- Claptrap; Stephen Kellogg- Blunderstone Rookery