SONG CLUB REVIEW: “Fever” by GLIEM
(This post is based on the script Mark David Stallard wrote for The Invisible Song Club live show.)
Listen to the song https://www.reverbnation.com/gliem/song/30927340-fever--gliem
Fever starts with each instrument coming in one at a time, each waiting their turn as the body of the groove is built quickly over the first few bars. Acoustic guitar strums, a lead electric guitar picks out a simple melody, then a fast rhythm on muted strings of an electric guitar come in. And of course the drums join in.
As soon as all the instruments in the verse begin, we have the body of the song. The instrumentation is consistent throughout. I think, it’s at this point that you know you’ll enjoy the song or not. And I did.
The verse brings in some sweet vocals. The melody is unassuming, it flows naturally. The first two phrases of the verse creates their own sense of tension and resolution as the melody climbs and returns to the root. The melody repeats, this time with a second voice echoing the words. Adding a new feeling into the already pleasing melody.
The chorus is really where this song shines. It has a similar structure, to the verse, albeit half as long, but this time the harmonies lift the song to another level. Providing an atmosphere that instruments alone never could.
About halfway through it pulls back the energy just a little bit, for a short instrumental break. But as soon as the vocals return, the energy picks up once again with the muted strings of an electric guitar emphasising the rhythm.
The song ends with vocals singing “run, run, run with you”, and then slowly fades out.
I’m not really a fan of songs fading out, unless there is a good reason. I would like to have heard the song end the way it started, with instruments dropping out individually leaving us with acoustic guitar. But the ending is a very small part of the song, and I don’t think it was hurt too much by fading out.
A thoroughly enjoyable song. This song reminded me of The Mona Lisa Twins. With the dreamy atmosphere and the close harmonies.
It’s an excellent piece. It will no doubt lead the listener to seek out more of Gliem’s music.
-- Mark David Stallard
