Early Riser is the newest EP from Chicago’s alt-country slacker rockers, Glass-Beagle. Equal parts Pavement and The Band, Glass-Beagle delivers a guitar-driven six-pack of songs with midwestern honesty in a cozy, crackly lo-fi sheen, like the comfort of a bonfire on a pleasantly brisk evening.
The record begins with “Killed by Candle Canoeing,” whose lyrics paint images of a float trip gone wrong, soundtracked by a jaunty country rock chord progression accented by electric guitar punches and a twangy post-punk sung/spoken vocal. The subtly horn-laden ’90s-esque alt-rock choruses act as a melodic respite from the angular verses. A terrific cyclical Doug Martsch-style guitar solo marks the end of the 2nd verse.
The current of the album drifts us along to the standout title track. Melancholic piano notes that sound like they’re coming from the echoey corner of an empty barroom, small touches of pedal steel, and an earworm of a guitar riff accompany more mildly distorted guitars and rolling drum parts. “Bushed” begins with a rockabilly rhythm before adding more nuanced and splayed distorted guitar chords. There’s also a terrific dueling pedal steel segment tucked in there for good measure among the steady snare hits.
What’s an alt-country album without a “Train Song”? More murky and shoegazy guitars are paired with driving locomotive drumming that chugs down the record’s tracklist, passing big, fuzzy, and intertangled guitar riffs. The next stop on the album is “Large Star”, which has a more laid-back, head bobbing vibe. More pedal steel, gritty guitars, and rock drums paint an ethereal power pop ballad landscape with matching lyrics.
After mentioning trains and canoes, the EP ends with one last ode to transportation, this time by name, on “2009 Toyota Sienna”. Glass-Beagle refers to their beloved minivan “a mystic beast” as they describe the amazing feeling of roadtripping (in comfort) with people you love.
Glass-Beagle is in fine form on this somber amalgamation of country-rock and ’90s alt-rock. Early Riser is available now on Bandcamp and streaming elsewhere as well.
Written by John Brouk
