The Glass Passenger Review

Released: September 30, 2008
Genre: Rock, Piano rock
Label: Sire
Number Of Tracks: 15 + 3 bonus
The Glass Passenger is the upcoming second studio album by American rock band Jack's Mannequin, set to be released by Sire Records on 30 September 2008 in the United States.

Sound:	8
Lyrics:	9.3
Impression:	8.3
Overall rating:	8.5
Users rating:	9.4
Comments:	10

Featured review by: unregistered, on october 01, 2008

Sound: This album when your first here it has a very different sound the Everything in Transit. Transit was a little basic in music parts where TGP has much more variety. You can really hear a maturity in this album with Andrew. There's a nice experiment with synth's, more guitar's, better breakdown's during songs, and overall much more unique riff's which are catchy but not necesarly easy. I feel like this album is Andrew releasing everything he really feels towards music and it works. Bloodshot, Suicide Blonde, American Love, and Spinning are some standout tracks off the album. // 9

Lyrics and Singing: I've listened to Everything in Transit and his work all the way back to early Something Corporate and this is easily the most sincere of all his albums in lyrics. His voice is perfect for the parts and rather then overpowering songs like some singers do he lets his voice go right with them as needed. His lyrics are extremly more witty on this album. One of my favorite's is blood shot's chorus

"High
And I'm so Tired
Come on look me in my
bloodshot eyes
The clouds are all on Fire"

Every song has a meaning and he wants you to figure it out. // 10

Impression: This is McMahon's standout album of his career. He took a risk on this album more than any other because he allowed him self to be more sincere probably then on any other album and let the music do a lot of the talking, not just like the lyrics like he use to. I will say this album for some people may need to grow on you, but when it does your gonna be hooked. I alreadly named some of my favorite tracks before but What Get's You Off and Drop Out/The So Unknown are two other masterpiece's. If this album were lost I'd re buy it in an instant. // 10

overall: 7.7

Reviewed by: DonTago, on september 30, 2008

Sound: Andrew McMahon was faced with a formidable task in assembling his new album The Glass Passenger when taking into account the wild success of his previous album Everything In Transit. Yet, The Glass Passenger does not necessarily try to recreate that same formula for success found in Transit, with it's light fun LA themed songs and anthems for the City by the Sea. Glass Passenger is dark journey of self-examination of the pain and turmoil McMahon experienced after his struggle to over-come cancer. The first six songs of the album, with the possible exception of the track "What Gets You Off", are all somewhat tepid songs which do not deliver much punch or power. Not to say that the lyrics are half-hearted or inscincere, but simply, I do not feel these songs are to the same standard as the second half of the album. In this second half, we have the following great tracks; "The Resolution", a instant hook-laden crowd pleaser; "Orphan", a beautiful piano-powered dingly-bell accompanied ballad that builds from a soft whisper to a grand chorus; "Drop Out", another hit with a heart-grinding chorus that makes you want to smile and cry all at the same time; and the sweet love-song "Hammers and Strings", a simple and emotive piano-driven serenade that does indeed "Lullaby" as it intends to. Overall, the sound of Glass Passenger was fun yet also introspective. The second half of the album makes up for the more lukewarm introduction this album delivers. However, one can expect that an darker album focusing on serious issues of death and disease rather than a fun drive down to Huntington Beach might be harder to make into a instant crowd pleasing album. // 7

Lyrics and Singing: As mentioned above, the overall theme of this album is McMahon's battle with overcoming cancer, while also dealing with issues of love (Hammers and Strings), longing for loved ones (Orphan), and heart-break (American Love). These lyrics are of equal quality as they are for Everything In Transit. McMahon's ability to craft elegent unions of music and words consistently exceeds that of his contemporaries in this genre and has lost no momentum in this sophmore album. McMahon has a brilliant ability to paint such elabourate visual imagery with such lines as "I need light in the dark as I search for the resolution" from the track "The Resolution" and the line "To the sleepless, this is my reply/ I will write you a lullaby" from the track "Hammers and Strings". // 9

Impression: Although a bit more somber with several introspective piano driven ballads, Glass Passenger is the same power-pop hook-laden sound found in his previous album. However, the consistency of powerful soul-grabbing songs (Mixed Tape, MFEO, Dark Blue, etc) found on Transit is absent in Glass Passenger. I would say track The Resolution is the one track that really builds to the levels I was expecting going into this listening experience. That is not to say there are not a few quality soul-grabbing songs on here, it is simply that they did not strike me as often as they did during my first listening to Transit. However, I believe this album scores well above most other albums being released presently in this pop-punk genre. It is clear when listening the amount of time and effort spent on crafting every aspect of this album, from every tiny synthesizer flourish to the sentimental lyrics. My favourite songs from this album I would recommend to a first listener are "Orphan", for the raw feelings it is able to elicit from me, and also the track "Drop Out", which gives me that same inexplicable feeling in my heart after I heard Everything In Transit for the first time. // 7

overall: 8.3

Reviewed by: badfish2829, on september 30, 2008

Sound: The Glass Passenger is a follow up to 2005's Everything in Transit. Unlike their first album, the Glass Passenger is not a concept album, however, that doesn't mean it lacks a story within itself. The album kicks off with their first single "The Resolution", which seems to be, along with the majority of the other songs on this album, about Andrew McMahon's fight with cancer. This can also be seen in tracks such as: "Swim", "Crashin'" and "Caves", to name a few. The line "I'm alive, I don't need a witness to know that I survived." sets the tone for what will be a different, but nonetheless, great album from Jack's Mannequin. Don't expect a sound like "Everything in Transit". There are quite a few more "mellow" numbers on this album, compared to EIT. Never the less, Andrew delivers with a new, re-vamped, Jack's Mannequin sound. // 8

Lyrics and Singing: As always, Andrew impresses us with his lyrical mastery. One of the more powerful verses on this CD comes from the track "Swim", when he talks about not giving up, even when facing death. "Yeah you gotta swim, don't let yourself sink. Just follow the horizon, I promise you it's not as far as you think". There are a few songs, however, where the music doesn't quite go with how he sings certain lines. The tracks "Suicide Blonde" and "Caves" are prime examples. While the lyrics are great, it seems he has some tone issues, during the chorus of "Suicide Blonde" and the beginning of "Caves". Andrew will always impress us with his ethereal voice, but, he might have benefited from taking an extra look at these tracks. He wanted them this way for a reason, so who am I to argue with genius? // 9

Impression: Overall, this album falls short of the mark set by "Everything in Transit". I hate comparing albums to one another because they try to relay a different message, thus, creating a different sound, but I feel the need to come out and say it, since so many fans will compare the two. They are two very different albums. I think the Hardcore Jack's Mannequin/Something Corporate fans will adore this album after hearing it 3 or 4 times. Because this album has been delayed time and time again, there will definitely be a few fans out there that don't feel that it lives up to the hype. Lets be honest, it would be hard for an album to live up to 3 years of hype. Jack's Mannequin comes close with a solid album that helps us see how great life really is, even when faced with adversity. // 8

Comments

[badfish2829]

Since writing this review, I must say that TGP is equally as amazing as EIT. It just takes awhile to grow on you.

[LightxGrenade]

Gotta check this out, I liked Everything In Transit except it felt that some parts were just too poppy, maybe this more somber attitude and darker themes are what I've waiting for.

[pigmaggots]

I think this is a grower. Not poppy like EIT but still accessible.

[inferi596]

i actually liked the album the first time i listened to it. the first four tracks got me hooked and i love resolution, caves and miss america but some of the middle ones i think just blended together and weren't anything special. not a bad album at all though.

[NearlyPrescient]

the funny thing about saying that he wants you to figure out what each song means is that he does.
he's playing some personal music, but he still wants his listener's to find meaning in songs in context of their own lives, not just his.
seems like a nice guy in interviews.
great album. masterpiece.

[GoodCharlotte92]

spinning is my favorite song right now. the melody and everything is just so perfect

[babybluefender]

EIT was not 'poopy' i really dont think anything andrew has ever written as 'poopy'

[BucketheadRules]

God, I love "Swim" so much. so much.

[hnfan4eva]

babybluefender wrote:

EIT was not 'poopy' i really dont think anything andrew has ever written as 'poopy'

he said EIT was 'poppy' retard

[nguarino]

love annie use your telescope!! best song. then what gets you off and bloodshot