In August of 2019, Toronto's Glutenhead came onto the scene with the debut full-length album, Glugen Frau. Now, with a full six-piece band and the help of producer Alex Gamble (PUP, Alvvays, Fucked Up), the group have followed up with the release of Glutenhead, a breezy self-titled EP of bright indie rock tunes.
"I spread the Vaseline all over my mouth / So the cracks on my lips don't bleed when I shout," sings vocalist Benjamin Shapiro on opener "It's Not Really a Problem." Idiosyncratic lyrics like these are what listeners can expect wrapped around the classic rock arrangements and modern ambient sounds of Glutenhead. Sounds of birds chirping and fluttering bookend "Blue Day," which, with its mellow grooves and laid-back vibes, sounds like something you'd put on while walking in the park on a sunny day.
Elsewhere, existential philosophizing and apprehension radiate from tracks "Folding" and "Naked in Toronto," the latter swelling with soft harmonies before descending into the anarchy of a group chant with the whole band shouting "I hate my life!" over an assortment of keys and guitars, dissolving away upon its close.
Glutenhead may not be a game-changer, but it does sound like Shapiro and his bandmates are having a blast while exploring their own creativity, channeling their artsy sensibilities into some catchy harmonies and infectious grooves.
(Independent)"I spread the Vaseline all over my mouth / So the cracks on my lips don't bleed when I shout," sings vocalist Benjamin Shapiro on opener "It's Not Really a Problem." Idiosyncratic lyrics like these are what listeners can expect wrapped around the classic rock arrangements and modern ambient sounds of Glutenhead. Sounds of birds chirping and fluttering bookend "Blue Day," which, with its mellow grooves and laid-back vibes, sounds like something you'd put on while walking in the park on a sunny day.
Elsewhere, existential philosophizing and apprehension radiate from tracks "Folding" and "Naked in Toronto," the latter swelling with soft harmonies before descending into the anarchy of a group chant with the whole band shouting "I hate my life!" over an assortment of keys and guitars, dissolving away upon its close.
Glutenhead may not be a game-changer, but it does sound like Shapiro and his bandmates are having a blast while exploring their own creativity, channeling their artsy sensibilities into some catchy harmonies and infectious grooves.