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    The Phantom Tollbooth 1997/Split Level
    Split Level — glo.bal cover

    Split Level

    glo.bal

    (1997)

    Reviewed by James Stewart

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    Label Organic RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth1997
    alternative rocknew wavepower poproots rock

    Split Level seems to have been around forever and it has been a while since we had their last full length project, Boomerang. Having tried various styles from ska to punk in the eighties and celtic rock in the early nineties, Split Level has moved to a rawer alternative rock sound while retaining the distinctive melodies and harmonies to be found elsewhere. This album is perhaps closer to the live sound they've had for a while now. Lyrically, the themes explored are personal ones and it is clear that Adrian Thompson (the lyricist) is not content to stick with the evangelical cliches so prevalent these days. Honesty is obvious, as are personal struggles, but a ray of hope holds steady throughout. A standout would have to be the wonderful 'Healed.' Starting out with an arpeggioed guitar and moving up into a more powerful yet still subdued chorus, this song delivers the message that though new age healings may help people, there is only one Healer in the long term. An album that works on many levels, I look forward to hearing this material played live.

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    Other coverage for this album

    The Lighthouse November 1997Reviewed by James StewartAfter a long absence, Split Level is back with a new album and a new sound. While the band has long been appreciated in Europe, only a few in the USA have discovered their music. But this album, with an accompanying US tour, a video, and production work from Rick Elias has been hotly anticipated. Having been through a number of stylistic changes, the band's latest sound seems the most organic and…7ball #12Reviewed by Bruce A. BrownSplit Level is a trio which hails from Ireland. Although the band's history dates back nearly a decade, and it has had two previous best-selling releases in Europe, glo.bal is Split Level's international debut. As it's an energetic amalgamation of the many influences which the group has soaked up over the years, "modern rock" would seem much too narrow a description of Split Level's sound. The…

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