GLIMMERS PERFECTLY EXPRESS THE STORY THEY SET OUT TO TELL WITH ‘WORLDS APART’

Worlds Apart is the second EP from Atlanta-based pop rock outfit glimmers, due for release on April 23, 2021 via Common Ground Collective.

Although they officially formed in 2020, the members of glimmers have been jamming together since the summer of 2019. Meeting separately through mutual friends, the group originally began as the backing band of singer-songwriter Maggie Schneider, who had been releasing solo material for some time – Most notably her 2018 EP Tinted Glasses, produced by Rian Dawson of All Time Low. As the five continued to play together, they grew into a family and became a full-fledged band in July of 2020. Although glimmers haven’t been a band for very long, they’ve been starting to see success quickly. Their debut EP, Cluttered Heart, released in October 2020 and has racked up nearly 100,000 streams, catching the attention of several online publications and Hot Topic.

It’s a real interesting experience reviewing the music of someone you used to work with. For those you don’t know, Maggie used to write for Spinning Thoughts and sings our theme song. During the time we worked together, I didn’t even know she made music. In fact, I thought Maggie Schneider the solo artist and Maggie Schneider at Spinning Thoughts were two different people! I found out about Maggie, the solo artist, outside of Spinning Thoughts through a BlankTV recommendation on YouTube and others promoting her work online. It wasn’t until sometime before glimmers formed that I realized Maggie the solo artist and Maggie from Spinning Thoughts were the same person. Man, did I feel like an idiot. I suppose it was the Clark Kent effect because I didn’t recognize Maggie with her glasses on.

Embarrassing story aside, I’ve been really looking forward to the new EP, especially after how much I enjoyed Cluttered Heart. I was looking forward to hearing how the band progressed on the next release. World’s Apart is a concept EP following the progression of a relationship and the five stages of heartbreak. The band also made overlapping music videos for each song on the EP (think Fall Out Boy’s Youngblood Chronicles or the music videos All Time Low made for Last Young Renegade), something I’ve always enjoyed when an artist or band has done. Shout out to the band’s videographer, Deanna Elise. She’s done some incredible work on these videos.

The EP starts off with the lead single “Not Good at Goodbyes,” a ballad detailing a relationship falling apart, and featuring Nick Pena of lostbody. I love the song’s acoustic start and its progression into a full band number. I also appreciate the male/female perspectives from Maggie and Nick, strengthening the emotion of the track with instrumentals suiting both of their voices. It’s one of strongest songs in the band’s catalogue.

“Fallin” details feelings during the aftermath of a breakup, capturing the feelings of someone trying to move on from a relationship but can’t because everything reminds of them of their ex. I found this song to be the catchiest of the effort and found myself singing the song’s chorus at the most random of times. Despite its sad lyrics, the song’s upbeat piano-lead, 90s-esqe pop rock instrumental was extremely pleasant. “Purple Tux” deals with looking back on a relationship and thinking about all the good times you had with that person. It’s that “It’s 3 AM and I’m about ten seconds away from calling up my ex,” type of track. The song reminded me a lot of the work from The Cab. I also liked the male backing vocals that work nicely with Maggie’s soaring vocals and adds additional emotion to the song. The guitars on this track are really nice too.

We get another intimate ballad with “By The Lips,” detailing a couple meeting up for the first time after a breakup and slowly reconciling their relationship. I like how the intimacy between our protagonist grows as the songs progress. Once again, the backing male vocals are a great touch and I enjoyed how prominent the piano has been throughout the effort. The story ends on a heartwarming note with “Stay,” where the couple reconciles. It’s such a beautiful track featuring just piano and strings, complimenting the strong vocals quite nicely. The final track, which is more of a bonus track, is an acoustic version of “Not Good at Goodbyes.” Although I feel like the original track hits much harder, the acoustic version is a really nice alternative.

Worlds Apart is an excellent sophomore effort showcasing strong songwriting and storytelling, amazing vocals and stellar musicianship. With its concept, it reminded me a bit of The Maine’s The Way We Talk from early-on in their career. This EP isn’t just a collection of songs to get sad to. Across the five tracks, the band perfectly express the story they set out to tell and captures the emotions of those going through a breakup exceptionally well. This is just the beginning for glimmers and I can’t wait to hear what they come out with next.

TAGS: glimmers | Common Ground Collective | lostbody