Three Cheers For The Broken Hearted

2009's release Three Cheers For The Broken-Hearted reveals a leaner, tighter Glass Hammer; with Steve Babb and Fred Schendel once more handling nearly all of the instrumentation and one hundred percent of the writing and production. Still, Glass Hammer alum Susie Bogdanowicz finds herself squarely in the spot light as the solo-vocalist on seven of the album's eleven tracks. From song to song, the dynamics are clear and present. Three Cheers For The Broken-Hearted features melancholy ballads, psychedelic influenced rockers and even head-banging metal tracks; all firmly based on the band's previous progressive rock style. While not a concept album in the traditional sense, the new album's lyrics still carry a theme throughout. The new release shows the more cynical, darker side of Glass Hammer - a band usually noted for it's optimism. It's still there, says GH co-founder Steve Babb. But only revealed in places; certainly harder to find than in lyrics from earlier albums. But while this album has given us a needed break from the out-right storytelling we usually attempt, when taken as a whole, 'Three Cheers' starts in a pretty dark place, then gradually leads you back home again. Even without the time-honored concept, our fans will definitely still find themselves on a journey. S.T. Karnick writing for 'The American Culture' 'Their musical and lyrical adventurousness and their virtuosic instrumental abilities placed Glass Hammer firmly in the category of progressive rock, an assessment which the group embraced without seeming to let it limit their creativity. As appears to be the case with most of those who gravitate to progressive rock, Babb and Schendel seem to revel in stretching their musical and compositional abilities and exploring far beyond the confines of three-chord rock music while always keeping in mind the premise that music should be entertaining and enjoyable.' 'Somehow, Glass Hammer just keeps getting better and better. If you haven't heard of them before, be assured that this is part of what makes the band's work so enjoyable: their independence is essential to their brilliance.'