TWILIGHT / GLIDE (2021)
The release in January 2021 of TWILIGHT / GLIDE marks a high point in Eglash’s solo music and perhaps his most relatable, far-reaching work. The career-defining blend of dreamy, warm-sounding songs has the construct of a classic concept album invoking the mysterious nature of being sleepless in the middle of the night. From beginning to finish, these songs have the heart and catchiness of Sgt. Pepper and the curious mystery of Sound of Lies. String arrangements and an analog ease add appeal. There is an intangible magic to this album.
MUSIC OF sleeplessness & WAKING DREAMS
TWILIGHT / GLIDE, an album which captures the feeling and dream-state of being awake when you should be sleeping, represents a major leap forward in Eglash’s music-making, in every way: song universality, relatability, production, arrangement.
From the liner notes: “Twilight / Glide is about our perception of the night as mysterious. Nighttime reveals sides of us not contemplated during daylight hours… whatever your demons are, their ugly heads are reared at that time of day when you are forced into a reckoning with yourself.
“I tried hard to make the themes on this album relatable and universal, both lyrically and musically. Whatever catharsis you hear and feel in this music is the result of my own battle with insomnia and its domino/snowball/ripple effect, but I do believe that the music speaks openly to all. Inspiration is fertile and wild at night. So is your lizard brain. All we can do is pursue happiness.”
A feeling of warmth and familiarity covers the music of TWILIGHT / GLIDE, including swaths of strings, arranged by Joe Eglash, and other guest musicians on brass and banjo. The songs, recorded in analog snuggliness and layered in blankets of sound, are vulnerable, catchy, and textured with classic rock, pop, and ethnic sounds. Some might relate it to the Beach Boys’ Smile or Jellyfish’s Spilt Milk, in that each track on the album belongs with the other and they all feel like one work.
The thread concept on TWILIGHT / GLIDE of time stretching and contracting, of hours as minutes and minutes like hours, add to music ranging in feel from rock to country rock to pop. It feels immediately timeless, offering fans new treats with each listen.
