Album review: Glitterer – Rationale

Glitterer was once Ned Russin and his laptop against the world. On his third full-length record Rationale, this time he’s pulling up with a full band in tow. Now bringing in Nicole Dao on keyboard, Jonas Farah on drums, and Connor Morin on guitar, Glitterer is now an entity of musicians, cultivated from D.C. and Baltimore.

Similar to former Glitterer records, Rationale carries across some identity from Title Fight, with its grunge-esque guitar work and scorching vocals. And with more artists on board for this album, you’d think there’d be some significant sonic changes, but Glitterer’s identity seems to remain firm, and not a lot has changed since 2021’s Life Is Not A Lesson.

The Glitterer thumb print is described as music that “can sometimes seem simple but is always subtly weird and complex”. But the subtleties feel almost too subtle, and you just know there’s more lurking behind the collective hivemind of this band. Each track is still under the three-minute mark, and just as you feel you’ve got into the heart of one, you’re already out on the other side and it’s slipped through your grasp without feeling like you've had much of a hold.

With that said, it’s clear the short and sharp style is what Glitterer is about. This is who the band wants to be, and there is no strict guide book on Making An Album 101, afterall. Some standouts come in the shape of Can’t Feel Anything, with its fuzzy, phaser-licked guitar and light acoustic jangle in the background, and closer Half Truth, which treats the ears to a slurring swing between crashing full band chunks and softer pieces.

Rationale certainly feels consistent, and its tracks make sense clustered together on this body of work. But you want more. There are little twinkles of innovative magic in the corners of this album, and they would make it feel more worthwhile if brought to the forefront more often.

Verdict: 3/5

For fans of: Title Fight, Militarie Gun, Koyo

Rationale is released on February 23 via ANTI- Records