“Radiate” from Glorybots
While I would stop well short of saying they’re the most defining element in the whole of the song, there’s no getting around the pure size and supreme texture the guitar parts in the new single “Radiate” from Glorybots add to the track and its music video. 2020 has been one of the weakest years for indie rock that I’ve personally experienced as a music critic in quite some time, but in the spirit of paying homage to a classic style of alternative pop/rock attitude, Glorybots’ latest cut off of the seminal Invisible LP breaks all the contemporary rules in the name of embracing the strange.
The cohesiveness in this master mix is something that should leave a lot of this artist’s rivals feeling more than a little green with envy this fall, and though it’s not the reason why the chorus stings with as much venom as it does, I would be lying if I said it didn’t impact how I took in this song in my first sit-down with its melodies this past week. The sublime pop varnish isn’t something I would normally want to pair with a gritty rock n’ roll single, but in this instance, it provides the kind of juxtaposition that can make or break an alternative track (historically, at least).
I love the way the guitar and the bassline compete for our attention as we near the climax of “Radiate,” and although Glorybots’ vocal serves as a referee between the two, it never stifles their assault on one another. This song, in so many different ways, feels like a celebration of chaos and pop songwriting at its most discordant, and if you’re the type of listener who likes when artists shake up the game with liberal concepts, it’s going to feel like one of the slicker singles out at the moment.
Big, bruising and everything a blunt reaction to the halfhearted melodies of the mainstream should be in 2020, Glorybots’ new single “Radiate” and its music video need to be considered required listening for indie rockers of all ages and backgrounds this autumn season, and something tells me this is going to be the consensus among critics well outside of his home scene. This track is perhaps the most valuable jewel in the crown of Invisible, and could potentially be the song to cross its creator over from the underground into a primetime light he deserves to be recognized in.
Zachary Rush