REVIEW: Gloria—III (2025)
"Post rock, ergo propter rock" proclaims the cover. Who am I to argue with the Lyon psych rockers?
After more than half a century of (consciously) enjoying music, it’s not always possible to recall when and where a band came into your life. Gloria is one of those. I have no idea who put me onto them, whether it was a random Spotify play (likely), or some connection to another band (Grand Veymont?), but somehow I have all their albums. And rightly so, this Anglo-French collective is consistently brilliant.
They have a persistent whiff of psych rock about them, with the requisite aura of grooviness about them. Without even knowing what they look like, you know it’s colourful, you know there’s going to be freaky dancing. I mean look at this video:
But where the magic all comes together is on the album’s fifth track, Sirein, which distils what the band’s all about into one cracking five-and-a-half minute opus. Why they didn’t stick this one out as the lead single, I’m not sure. It’s a total banger. And I say that without shame.
It strides into life with an assured chugging hook, showcasing the three female vocals, like Abba-doing-Goat, if you like, replete with an enthusiastic bongo player giving it their all under the driving drums, before the guitarist is permitted to let loose for a few bars, just to let you know the rock is on its way. At that point, the organ swells, the drum fills cascade, and it all builds to a holy climax. Honestly, if you’ve never heard Gloria before, just cue this one up and work backwards. They’re great.
The exceptionally attentive among you will also know that Paul Osbourne a.k.a. Project Gemini recently borrowed some of Gloria for the excellent Colours & Light album, who also pulls in Little Barrie, Jack Sharp from Large Plants, and loads of other top notch musicians. This is my way of saying if he gets you on his record, you must be good.
Another complete opus can be found late on. Harpocrate I takes their sound even further into their psych rock leanings, with a swampy six minute stormer of a track, that builds and swirls, before slowing it all down for a five minute sequel, effectively delivering an almighty 11 minute encore to bring the curtain down on this supreme record.
Some of it gives me a hint of what Wolf People could have morphed into, had they hired the Gloria singers for a few songs. For a while, they did try the female backing singer route…and this here record suggests they were definitely onto something.
In summary: don’t sleep on this. And definitely go back and check out their other stuff. Thank me later!
All of Gloria’s music has come out via tiny French indie label Howlin’ Banana, and it’s all a bit blink-and-miss with only a few hundred copies pressed, and therefore out of print before you know it. This one, for reasons best known to Amazon.es, cost me €20 shipped from Spain. I don’t know how the economics work out either.
I can only imagine a band with, apparently, just 3181 Spotify followers and 14,653 monthly listeners are doing this for the glory, ‘cos there sure ain’t no money in it. Not yet, anyway. Just as well there’s plenty of glory in what they do. Just go back to their 2016 debut, In Excelis Stereo, or Sabbat Matters and wonder how they’re not more well known. Help change that. Spread the good word of Gloria.
