I first heard indie-folk band Glowing House play live in a Denver venue, and I was impressed to the point that I asked to review their record. The band is co-fronted by singer/songwriters Jess Parsons and Steve Varney, accompanied by Patrick Kline on percussion. Together, the band features an interesting duality–although the overall sound is definitely folk, Parsons’ voice adds a touch of jazz while Varney leans more toward an alternative sound. Don’t ask me how, but the combination works.
The Annual Demise of Every Aspen was released back in 2009, and listening to them live a few weeks ago, it was apparent that Glowing House has grown beyond the music on their record. Annual Demise carries an overall downtempo melancholy which you might expect with a title like that, and they’ve expanded their sound a bit since then. Nevertheless, the record has some brilliant moments on it–strong melody lines, solid harmonies, and some haunting string arrangements thrown in.
Thankfully, Glowing House has announced that they’re recording a new record that will hopefully reflect their expanded range. If Annual Demise is any indication, we have a lot to look forward to. This band is definitely on my radar.