Artist: Kids in Glass Houses
Album: In Gold Blood
Genre: Rock
Label: Roadrunner Records

Kids in Glass Houses are a good rock band. Not great, not terrible. And that’s their biggest problem.

Their newest album, In Gold Blood, covers all the bases of what rock songs are typically about: love, the ups and downs of being a teenager, wanting to live forever, family turmoil, etc. Mixed in there are clever lyrics, ambiguous song titles, and tongue-in-cheek references to religion. All of these together make a solid record that will appeal to a wide range of people, but not one that will be viewed as something exceptionally special.

When the first track, “Gold Blood,” begins, it sounds like a revamped version of the opening of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” It’s eerie, foreboding, and exciting. The song itself falls a little flat the first time around. But by the second listen—when the lyrics become clearer and you begin noticing the background sounds—it’s a much more appealing track.

The title of the second track, “Teenage Wonderland,” made me groan a little: all I could think of was Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” and was praying that KIGH would not take the same route. They’re not pop, after all. Instead, it’s an honest, reflective song that everyone over the age of 13 can relate to. For anyone who is past his or her teen years, the song is a bittersweet reminder of their own “Teenage Wonderland,” and is an overall success.

By the middle of track three, I was doing a double take, thinking to myself “Is this Tom Petty?” Singer Aled Philips sounds eerily like Petty, especially on this track, which I mean as high praise. It’s a song you want to listen to over and over. I also caught myself inadvertently singing along to the enjoyable “Diamond Days” and “Not in This World.” However, it is at this point in In Gold Blood that all the songs start to sound the same. “The Florist” thankfully saves the album from running together, delivering witty allusions in the lyrics and a killer horn section that made me smile.

“Animals” is a quality song, as is the obligatory love song, “Annie May,” but listening to them, I felt as though I’d heard them before from other rock bands. And indeed, in the seventh track, “Only the Brace Die Free,” I was startled when the chorus was a step away from sounding exactly like “The Outsiders” by NeedToBreathe . On the plus side, the horns returned on this track (yes!!).

I’d like to ask the guys in KIGH whether they are fans of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, because it cannot be pure coincidence that “Fire” sounds like one of The Boss’ songs, mixed up with every other popular song from the 70s/80s (I challenge you to cunt how many references to those two decades are in this entire album). Lyrically, it is probably the most simplistic and predictable of the entire album, but with regards to the music, it is far and away the most complex and the best. From the bells in the background, to the mini-sax solo in the middle, and the drums that continue on at the end, the song oozes Springsteen and is truly fascinating to listen to.

Near the end of the album, I realized what my biggest issue with KIGH is: they sound like too many other bands. All of their songs, including the last two songs, “Black Crush” and “A God to Many Devils,” are of a fairly high quality. They are catchy, and there’s nothing really wrong with them. But instead of focusing on Kids in Glass Houses’ songs, I focused on every other song I’ve heard. Too many times did “Oh this sounds like so-and-so’s song” run through my mind, as opposed to “Wow, I’ve never heard this before!” There were glimpses of something original and cool, but they were often overshadowed by what can only be described as the “typical rock sound.”

It’s hard to stand out and be unique, especially in rock music. Kids in Glass Houses almost rise to the occasion. In Gold Blood won’t disappoint if you’re itching for a rock record you can blast. If you’re looking for the next “classic,” well, it may fall short of expectations. It’s great KIGH use musical references to enhance their sound. Now if they would just borrow a little less, and innovate a little more, they could create something fantastic.

Oh, and bring back the horns!

Score: 6.5/10
Review written by: Michelle Principi

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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