Glider is a side-project of Jim Bogios and David Immergülck of Counting Crows, so that's reason enough to listen to them. I'm a huge Counting Crows fan; Jim is a brilliant drummer, and let's be perfectly honest here, I'm completely infatuated with David Immerglück. I find everything he does absolutely amazing. To round out the band, Bogios and Immerglück are joined by Dan Eisenberg (keyboards,) and Yoshi Sako (bass.)Sadly Glider doesn't have an actual album of any sort, just a couple random tracks here and there, a handful of live recordings around the YouTubes, but what's out there is incredible. Think Booker T & The MGs (Green Onion), The Chantays (Pipeline) and Santo (Sleep Walk, Tear Drop,) think ridiculously awesome guitars, drums, bass and organ all wrapped up in a dreamy, soulful, jazzy, funky, musical gift that not many people can give you.
So if there's no record to listen to, how the heck did I come across this magical musical discovery? Jim Bogios posted a Glider track, Sugar Bounce, on Facebook recently, so of course I listened to it, over and over. I was so enthralled by the sound. That damn Immerglückian guitar, the soulful crying of the Hammond B-3 organ, even without words the song tells a story, it doesn't need lyrics to get it's point across.
Upon hearing Sugar Bounce I had to hear more. There just had to be more out there. Luckily, Jim Bogios' website has another Glider track available to listen to, a cover of the Beatles' Love You Too. I was pleasantly surprised to find vocals on this track, and along with it a mind-blowing rendition of the transcendental Beatles tune. I'm very picky when it comes to Beatles covers. There are very few that I like and will listen to on a regular basis. This has become one of them. George Harrison would surely approve. The guitar is phenomenal, the psychedelic soul of the song shines on.
But alas, those were the only two Glider tracks on Jim's website. I knew there was more. I HAD to find more. I'd discovered this band and there's no going back. They're in my brain; I'd been bewitched by music once again.
There was indeed more Glider to be found. David Immerglück's website had a video of the band playing the guitar classic Apache live. And holy crap, this song is brilliant too. Seriously, can these guys get any better? Watching Immy play is memorizing. Even the 2006 borderline mullet is no distraction for the epic guitar work happening. I mean what more can I say that hasn't been said about Immy's guitar abilities? The dude's got skills. And Jim, well Jim is one of the best drummer's I've ever seen/heard, but I'm probably a little biased given the band he comes from, but still. One of my favorite things about him in the look he gets on his face when he's drumming, you can tell he's totally into it. The funky bass lines from these, and the other Glider tracks that I found are provided by Yoshi Sako (Beatropolis, Syncrosystem,) and fitting with the flow and theme of the band, he's pretty good as well. Completing the band's sound is Hammond B-3 Guru, Dan Eisenburg, who makes the B-3 sing, as if it's playing itself, as if it's telling it's own story and doesn't care what anyone else has to say about it.
These guys need to get into the studio and record an album. Their talents combined are way to good to not share with the world at large. But until then, we'll just have to settle with the handful of Glider songs out there on the internets.
Here's a list of what I've found:
jimbogios.com
- Sugar Bounce
- Love Me Too
gimmyimmy.com
-Apache (video)
YouTube
- Chicken Pox, Jupiters, Berkeley CA July 15th 2005
- Oh Yeah 3-11-06 Hotel Utah San Francisco, CA Live
- Live Starry Plough 9/19/08 Berkeley, CA
