album review: The Glimmers by Opiate Eyes

by JACK DIABLO
If Opiate Eyes has their way, the doors of the St. John’s Cathedral will one day become a landmark for rock and roll historians. Just like the cover of the Beatles’ Abbey Road is often recreated…picture men in wedding dresses posing on the steps of the historical Jacksonville church. I might be accused of exaggerating, until you hear The Glimmers, Opiate Eyes’ debut album on Skinny Records.
Opiate Eyes deliver a kind of friendly post-punk, possessing a subdued energy that flirts with dissonance without offending. If a band’s sound was inseparable from its geography, Opiate Eyes would inhabit whatever lies directly between Athens, GA and DC. Luckily they hail from Duval County and have pleased its residents everywhere from Shantytown to the Riverside Arts Market stage. The Glimmers spans an impressively wide array of dynamics, emotions and styles without being disjointed. R.E.M. can come to mind, immediately followed by Dismemberment Plan and Cursive. They are able to wander down technical and at times, slightly experimental roads without straying from a certain pop-sensibility that allows them to be widely accepted and appreciated. It’s safe to say that they would be equally adored by fans of indie, punk and math-rock alike.
It’s not uncommon to see a really talented, newer band such as Opiate Eyes live and be far more impressed by their show than the CD you take home. The opposite is equally as likely, but The Glimmers is a faithful representation and Opiate Eyes is one of the few bands that sounds just as good recorded as they do live. In fact, the production details on the album more than make up for the lost effect of experiencing the music in person.
Opiate Eyes will put their music to the ultimate test as they embark on an East Coast tour this month. As they represent some of the best in local Jacksonville music, they will no doubt make a lasting impression on the cities that are fortunate enough to receive them.