GLASS TIGER – Diamond Sun [Japan HR-HM 1000 reissue series] (2022) HQ *Exclusive*

As part of the Universal Music Japan reissue campaign of long time out of print albums from their catalog titled ‘HR/HM 1000‘, that meaning Hard Rock / Heavy Metal at the price of 1000 Yen, here’s as requested Canadians GLASS TIGER second album, 1988’s ”Diamond Sun”.
It’s funny to see ”Diamond Sun”, being a rock&pop album, being reissued as part of a Hard Rock / Heavy Metal series. But happens that GLASS TIGER has a lot of fans from the most commercial side of hard rock, as this band mix a huge pop-rock sound with North American melodic arena rock styling – so ’80s.
Produced by expert Jim Vallance – also contributing songwriting, drums, keyboards – you can expect that classy Eighties Canadian sonic delight.
If GLASS TIGER successful debut LP was good, ”Diamond Sun” is even better. This is considered the best of their studio albums. What you may not know is that the Canadian band’s second album also really rocks.

The band had the courage to open the album with a soft song, the title track. This was the second of five singles, and a powerful ballad it is. The keyboard chimes work in tandem with drums, samples and singer Alan Frew’s impassioned vocals. The lyrics circle around the still-topical subject of colonialism. “When they came to this land, we gave our friendship, gave them our hands.” The music has the appropriate feel, but listen carefully and enjoy the lyrical bass work of Wayne Parker, who has often gone unnoticed in this band. Check that false ending!

“Far Away From Here”, the second song, is single worthy in itself but remains a nice deeper cut. This time the guitar work of Al Connelly rises at the start, setting up an awesome mid-tempo rocker. The chorus is among one of Glass Tiger’s best, accented by catchy acoustic guitar bits hanging lower in the mix. Connelly’s riff is very much akin to ’80s Rush, but encased within a simpler, more direct kind of song. Alan Frew’s voice has a smooth, deep kind of power.

Personal favourite “I’m Still Searching” is a fast electro-acoustic rocker. This song lit our VCR on fire back in 1988 when it was released as the first single / video. Nobody expected such an upbeat rocker from the Newmarket quintet. It’s an immediate singalong with a campfire quality, despite the electric shimmer of guitar, and organ by Sam Reid. Once again Connelly has come up with some cool, catchy guitar parts.
“A Lifetime of Moments” is a lesser known ballad, well-rounded with keyboards and guitars as the main features. The lyrics are about a lost love and rebounding, and Frew sells it. This song is unique because of the sax solo, something simply not utilised enough in ballads or rockers.

The best of the deep cuts is the awesome “It’s Love U Feel”, which is right out of the 80s Rush playbook. From the echoing guitar jingle to the bouncing basswork, this song easily could have been a hit for Rush on Power Windows. A duet with Lisa Dalbello on the chorus, this song kicks hard. How this isn’t one of the Tiger’s biggest hits is unknown. Perhaps it was just too advanced for an 80s pop video audience. This sounds more like the kind of thing that would have been big on rock radio. It is one of Glass Tiger’s greatest songs, featuring some stinging, smoking guitar work. It could be Keith Scott from Bryan Adams’ band, as he is credited with additional guitar on the album, along with Michael Hanson.

“My Song” was a big hit with a Celtic feel, performed with the legendary Chieftains themselves. They were recorded separately in Ireland, with Sam Neil producing their session. Tin whistle dominates, with bodhrán, fiddles and other instruments lower in the mix. For anyone with a taste for Celtic pop rock (think Marillion “80 Days”), this will hit the spot. A huge hit in Canada because of its unforgettable, timeless chorus. They tried to repeat this trick with Rod Stewart on the next album, with less success.

The most powerful song on the album is, paradoxically, the softest. The piano ballad “(Watching) Worlds Crumble” absolutely explodes on the chorus, while the verses feature Alan Frew singing in a soft falsetto. The music video, recorded live on stage, was the first not to feature Michael Hanson. He left the band mid-tour to be replaced by Randall Coryell from Tom Cochrane’s band. It was one of those sad instances of the new guy never becoming “official”. Glass Tiger remained, on paper at least, a four-piece after the departure of Hanson. “(Watching) Worlds Crumble” is one of the few without his writing. It was written by Frew, Reid and Vallance, and features another really nicely written Connelly guitar solo. The drums are absolutely epic too.

Back to a rocker, “Send Your Love” has an upbeat stuttery guitar part and a slamming chorus. Another winning deep cut. The warm ballad “Suffer in Silence” and another sax solo take us out to the closer, “This Island Earth”.
”Diamond Sun” ends in epic fashion, with this slow burning number and a social message. Again, Rush comes to mind, with a slight progressive sound and keyboards. In the end it’s Alan Frew who sells it.

While not a smash in sales worldwide, ”Diamond Sun” sold 200,000 copies in Canada, an astronomical amount for that country. It is an album with broad appeal, spanning a variety of styles but all somehow sounding like Glass Tiger. It’s a cohesive album with no weak tracks, and only highlights to be found.
Highly Recommended

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01 – Diamond Sun
02 – Far Away From Here
03 – I’m Still Searching
04 – A Lifetime Of Moments
05 – It’s Love U Feel
06 – My Song
07 – (Watching) Worlds Crumble
08 – Send Your Love
09 – Suffer In Silence
10 – This Island Earth

Alan Frew – vocals
Sam Reid – keyboards
Al Connelly – guitars
Wayne Parker – electric bass
Michael Hanson – drums, guitars

with:
Drums and Keyboards: Jim Vallance
Additional Guitars: Keith Scott
Fretless Bass: Rene Worst
Synclavier: John Grier
Saxophone on 4, 9: Earl Seymour
Backing Vocals: Dalbello, Arnold Lanni, Sheree Jeacocke, Colina Phillips

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