Glass Hammer - The Inconsolable Secret

[Progatron]

This is an album I heartily include in my "I'll never get tired of this music" category. I really like most of the GH catalogue, they are an auto-buy and blah blah blah, but to me this album is their Topographic Oceans (which in my view is an enormous compliment).

Not going to bore anyone with details of my day today, but suffice to say it included a somber visit to my ailing, elderly father and now, at home, with wine and this album I return to 'comfort zone' territory. I don't know if Fred and Steve find it hard to believe when they read comments like this about their own work which is likely flawed in their eyes (as it is with almost all musicians), but this album means so much to me, and is total Desert Island material. The 'main melody' on disc 2 that repeats in various incarnations is one of those that I'm so glad I get to hear many times throughout, rather than one of those that I love but doesn't repeat enough for my liking. If that makes sense.

Beautiful album, GH. A journey. After all these years, I still *love* it.

[julioscissors]

One of my top discs of all time - maybe THE top disc. Disc 2 is amazing from pillar to post. I'd give up pretty much every other disc in my collection before I'd give up this one.

[trurl]

I generally try and keep out of threads about us- I want people to say what they want without feeling like we might get our noses out of joint- but I really, really appreciate this. Thank you sooooo much! Steve's on vacation and probably won't see the thread for a while but I'm sure he feels the same way.

[Progatron]

One of my top discs of all time - maybe THE top disc. Disc 2 is amazing from pillar to post. I'd give up pretty much every other disc in my collection before I'd give up this one.

Good to hear others' love for it this album! Like I said, they have some great stuff out there but this is their masterpiece IMO. The three-disc reissue from a year or so ago was the most 'necessary' reissue I could think of at that time!

[Rand Kelly]

I always felt it was GH's Tales as well. What a great album. I also highly recommend getting the Live at Belmont dvd which they play a chunk of it live.

[bill g]

I like this album a lot too. I can't really pick a favorite among their last several albums, but this is certainly among their best and most beautiful.

[abhorsen]

Actually I think The Inconsolable Secret is stronger than TFTO. Sure they are both long records, but GH's Inconsolable Secret is perfect as is, whereas Tales could stand a little editing here and there. I generally like everything GH puts out but TIS remains my favorite. I have fond memories of road tripping through Oregon in 2005 when the record was released and even today, after many many listens, this album brings back memories of those fair summer days. Great, great record.

[Jondon4]

Let me add my voice to the accolades. I only discovered this album after seeing GH on the first Cruise to the Edge. I bought the new version when it was released and haven't stopped listening to you the past year. I, too, never get tired of the music, especially the new version of "Long and Long Ago." I will go one step further than Progatron and call this album GH's "Close to the Edge."

[rickawakeman]

I am a huge GH fan and this release is certainly one of my fave GH releases. Your post raises a question I have frequently pondered--other than the effusive praise bestowed upon this, or other bands or artists' releases or live work, are artists (of which I am not, other than my choral singing!) aware of just how beloved they are to their fans? The emotional attachment we have to their works? The distances we will travel to see them? The money we shell out for their records and DVDs? In case they never grow tired of hearing it--GH! I love you!

[ca1ore]

this is their masterpiece IMO

I completely agree! Funny thing for me was that I first bought the album, wasn't all that impressed and didn't listen to it again for a long time. When I finally gave it a second spin I couldn't figure for the life of me why I hadn't liked it the first time. Absolutely brilliant from the first note to the last. I'm probably in the minority, but WM remains my favorite GH vocalist, probably because he's all over this record (though my single favorite GH song is 'In the Court of Eskimos' ..... Too lazy to look up the actual title

[Dana5140]

Sort of changing the subject- an I love TIS- did anyone ever hear the GH song on "The Odyssey" triple-CD set? Another superb epic!

[trurl]

Sort of changing the subject- an I love TIS- did anyone ever hear the GH song on "The Odyssey" triple-CD set? Another superb epic!

That's the song ca1ore is talking about- Court of Akinoos I really like that one too. It's kind of a deep cut. Another is Cool Air from the H.P. Lovecraft compilation.

[Progatron]

That's the song ca1ore is talking about- Court of Akinoos I really like that one too. It's kind of a deep cut. Another is Cool Air from the H.P. Lovecraft compilation.

It's also on The Compilations, which is well worth owning. I love those Musea/Colossus sets too though!

[abhorsen]

Court of Akinoos is such a beautiful, epic track. Fred, does the title refer to a book reference by chance?

[julioscissors]

Sort of changing the subject- an I love TIS- did anyone ever hear the GH song on "The Odyssey" triple-CD set? Another superb epic!

That definitely a great track - the beginning couple minutes are especially moving. "The Odyssey" set has a bunch of good tunes on it - in addition to the GH tune, "The Return" by Nexus is really tasty as well.

[Yodelgoat]

I waited something like 5 years for the reissue, and it was worth it. I haven't listened to it enough yet for me to think of it as familiar. But its an amazing piece of music. its on my "short list" but I just haven't had the time to devote to music these past few months.

[Stanislavski]

Lex Rex is my favorite. Nearfest show was good.

[Progatron]

Lex Rex is my favorite. Nearfest show was good.

Live At NEARfest is probably my second favourite GH disc. Excellent live album. I think I made a thread about that one too a while back if I'm not mistaken! I swear I'm not on on their payroll.

[Soc Prof]

I loved the original album, and loved the remix even more. The only thing I don't love is the cover art. Not one of Roger Dean's better ones imo, but still better than most album covers.

[Akustika]

After reading this tread, I finally took the plunge & ordered this one today. Now the wait for package to arrive begins....

[Soc Prof]

Update: I was wearing my Inconsolable Secret (Limited Edition) t-shirt today. My 5 year old daughter LOVED the art work. She pointed to the formation on the right side of the picture and asked, "Is that a penguin?" I told her I have no idea what it is.

[JKL2000]

Finally ripped my deluxe edition, because my cats hate it and keep knocking the damn fat boy case to the floor, breaking it several times over. I hate those cases.

[SteveSly]

One of the band's best for sure!

[moecurlythanu]

I have the 3CD version. Don't have all the GH, but this is the best of the ones I do have, by some margin.

[trurl]

Wow, pretty bizarre this got bumped today because I wrote the first bits today on a project we hope will equal IS in terms of pretentiousness, emotion and overall bombast! The next one is a "go big or go home" album. Steve has a whole big story thing worked out again.