DAMN GLAD

The first thing one notices about Damn Glad is unquestionably the singing. There's great singers, bad singers, adequate singers & then sometimes you get an interesting & recognizable singer - in this case it's also a good singer. A singer like Matt Kurzban really changes the sound of the band with his distinctive croon, like Jon Anderson to Yes or Geddy Lee to Rush. Partly what makes him so great is there's no screaming, growling or falsetto but old fashioned singing with a tone that doesn't sound forced or unnatural! Someone who sings natural, such as Louis Armstrong, can often be a far better & stronger singers than some with all the vocals tricks & magical range. As for what's being sung ... I always like music you suddenly find yourself singing along to. "One Good Reason" was the first of a few tracks I found this occurring to ... actually, banging my head too. If I'm moving & singing to the music - at my desk with headphones on & a spouse watching - we're off to good relationship. This band doesn't necessarily aim for pyrotechnics but a real solid sound of songs radio friendly but still a little raw that include a range of music styles under a hard rock/alternative banner. It's often by the book arrangements, but considering so many bands throw away the book & become unlistenable this is not a detriment. Every track is a little different too, so there's a whole range here really opening up the doors of a potential fan base while showing the musical abilities & influences of the band. I found Damn Glad to also have a particularly strong grasp on rockin' power ballads, that didn't turn sacchrine or cheesy, though can just as easily rock out a la Alice In Chains & Kiss. This is a band I'm putting on my "to see in concert" list! Oh & these guys have their own intricate website too. If you're a serious band get your own website, even a small free one. Myspace is so cliche & makes everyone look the same, albeit it's easy to read, & I hate seeing bands with nothing else but Myspace. If you're only giving your web presence that much energy - & Myspace takes hardly any energy no matter what you do to it - how serious are you taking your music? & before you ask, my two websites I pay for & built myself from a white screen with the opening page taking 8 hours to perfect & I maintain them myself, so I'm no hypocrite. I care about my look ... & I'm damn glad other people do to! - Aaron Joy

Sitting on a brown couch inside a cavernous studio at Downtown Jersey City's artsy 111 First St. building, I spent a few hours with Yuengling beer bottles and Doritos bags strewn on the carpet at my feet and rock and roll rumbling through my ears. And, to tell you the truth, I'm damn glad about it. OK, I couldn't help myself - that "damn glad" reference represents nothing more than a cheesy play on words. Two times a week inside the fourth-floor studio, the trio of rockers who make up the group Damn Glad gather to practice. If the members had their druthers, 111 First St. would be transformed into the area's next big music venue. "Uncle Joe's (a nightclub Downtown) is great, but Jersey City needs a much larger venue," says Jeff Baker, Damn Glad's drummer. "Every day, you see so much activity down here, all the people with guitars on their backs heading to New York City. That's only because there are so few places for musicians to network here. "It would be nice if someone would purchase 111 First and turn it into a rock venue. For some reason, many people oppose that." Baker says some sort of compromise should be hammered out between the concepts of commercial development and the retention of a creative and artistic community Downtown. "Some sort of deal should be struck," Baker said. When you look at the massive size of 111 First St., a music showplace seems like a no-brainer. Especially when you hear a talented band like Damn Glad, which tends to play primarily at New York City clubs because of the lack of venues on this side of the Hudson River.

Before changing its name to Damn Glad, the group was called Immoral Fibres. Under that moniker, they were picked to be one of the emerging bands to play at the Woodstock 1999 festival, which band members cite as the crowning achievement of their careers so far. "We left before all that mud stuff, which to me was annoying," said Matt Kurzban, who leads vocals, plays guitar and pens the songs for the group. "But it was an honor to be there."

Currently, the band is on tour to promote its debut album, "And That's That," a 14-song disc that contains a blend of rock that can almost simultaneously touch the heartstrings with sentimentality and force you to rise out of your seat to get your groove on. The band, which also features the bass grooves of member Doug Shank, believes its strong suit lies in composing lyrics and creating melodies. "We have a niche, I think, because we're versatile," Shank says. "We can do both rock and ballads. And the strength is that we write good songs with melodies that stick in your head." Baker, the drummer, said he would describe the band's music as digestible and radio-friendly. "We're not a soft music band," he says. "But we can be." The consensus favorite on the album for the group - which describes itself as somewhat of a cross between the popular bands Foo Fighters and Matchbox 20 - is the song "Flight Delay," which tells of people working their way through doubt. "That song is energetic and captures the feel of our album," Kurzban said. My personal favorite, however, is the tune "Lighten the Load," which possesses a carefree vibe that brings to mind jazz singer Bobby McFerrin's happy-go-lucky song "Don't Worry, Be Happy." I can envision listening to "Load" - especially Kurzban's smooth as silk vocals - while cruising around in a convertible on a sunny summer day, preferably near a beach.

Well, it's not a beach, but the band is expected to perform tomorrow at Hoboken's Sinatra Park for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life benefit. Their appearance on stage is slated for 6:30 p.m. Next month, the band will perform at another Cancer Society benefit at Giants Stadium, at which Kurzban is scheduled to sing the national anthem. "We're really excited about that one," Kurzban said.

One thing the band is far less pleased about is the recent departure of guitarist Mike Sanchez. Kurzban said Sanchez returned to his native California because of "personal issues" and now the band is in the market for a replacement. "The person we're looking to replace him should have a strong background voice and a lot of money, preferably big bills," Baker joked. More seriously, Kurzban said, the new member must know how to fit in like Sanchez did. "In the end, we're all slaves to the songs," Kurzban said. "We want unselfish ball players, people who want to be part of a team." Each member of Damn Glad holds down a day job. Kurzban deals in real estate, Shank works in music publishing, and Baker builds music studios. In the future, the band, whose album can be found in such music stores as FYE and Coconuts, hopes to broaden its base. ----Jeff Theodore - Jeff Theodore

Damn Glad, And That's That! (© 2003 Fachetzamerde Music)
Named after their positive outlook on life, New York based quartet Damn Glad maintains their optimism in this upbeat, indie-pop-rock debut And That’s That! This radio friendly, easy listening album uses soft melodies combined with driving guitars and insightful lyrics as their staple. Singer/guitarist/songwriter Matt Kurzban along with bandmates Jeff Baker on drums, Jeff Kalber on bass. This hard working band will appeal to indie fans with their unpolished recording and Kurzban’s poetic lyrics relating to everyday struggles in such tracks as “Beat of Monotony,” and “Just Another Day.” Damn Glad is a recipe for mainstream success and has already gained regular airplay on three major commercial stations in New York City. This slow burner is reminiscent of late nineties commercial rockers such as Live and early recordings of Matchbox 20 and is just as kinesthetically pleasing. - ?

Damn Glad, And That's That! (© 2003 Fachetzamerde Music)
What ever happened to the sensitive, soulful side of rock n’ roll? I mean, it’s never gone away, but amid the koRns, the P.O.D.s and Trapts of the world and with the re-emergence of shows such as MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball, softer, more emotionally-charged (emotion other than anger, anyhow) rock acts have taken somewhat of a backseat. Well, New York-based trio Damn Glad is damn upset about that and their debut full-length CD, And That’s That, is a damn good effort at trying to bring their brand of rock n’ roll back into peoples’ conscience.

Formed in 2002 by singer/guitarist/songwriter Matt Kurzban, Damn Glad’s resume is quite impressive, including a slot at Woodstock 1999 (formerly known as Immoral Fibres) and performances on 2002’s Locobazooka tour with Sevendust, Filter, POD, Puddle Of Mudd and many more. This CD, which is saturated with driving guitars, infectious grooves, memorable melodies/harmonies and introspective lyrics, illustrates a band that’s paid some dues and had gained the maturity needed to go on to the next level. The opener, “Beat of Monotony”, is anything but. This song could be best described as ‘soul power classic rock’, in that it’s got elements of classic Motown emotion and harmonies mixed with slivers of raw, earthy drumming and chord progressions that play well against each other. Kurzban, who sounds a bit like Ed Kowalski of Live, unabashedly, injects his own passion that blends smoothly with the song’s other elements. “All Made Up” is a kickin’ Led Zeppelin-esque track that really shows off Kurzban’s voice. He’s even got some of that Robert Plant flair to him and the rest of the band is right there with him. I like how each player doesn’t just play their individual part, but makes the effort to play off of each other. The guitar solo isn’t the most outrageous you will hear, but it fits that laid-back mood of the track just right.

Skipping ahead a little, we come to the feel-good song “Lighten The Load”. Some of the songs that precede it are kinda edgy, so the easy-listening country vibe of “Lighten The Load” will mellow you out a little bit. It’s got beautiful melodies and harmonies that are a real joy to listen to. “Definitely Maybe” has everything going for it, though. A contemporary rock song that’s got impassioned, brooding verses, edgy bridges, killer riffs and searing vocal delivery that tugs at your emotions. And That’s That closes out with the anthem “Moments Away”; another song that’s got all the burners on. Having already proven their mettle on the road, Damn Glad needed one other thing to show that its ready to take the next step. This album is it. Everything that you’ve heard about their live performances has been captured on this CD and then some. Go out and buy And That’s That. You’ll be damn glad than you did.----Eric V. White - Eric V. White

Damn Glad, And That’s That! (Independent release)
DG have established themselves as a soulful rock quartet in and around the New York City area. Having toured with Sevendust, POD and Filter the band have cut their teeth on a diversified audience yet retain an original pop form. This, the bands first CD, debuts 14 mid-tempo, radio-friendly numbers built on catchy melodies and passionate delivery. Production is crisp and polished with a refreshing air of spontaneity which lends itself to the record’s subtle quake. After listening to the CD for a couple weeks I’ve become completely intoxicated with it. The record is a bit of a slow cooker but by the end its on fire. First track, “Beat of Monotony” is enticing enough with a thick beat framed around a hook chorus. But once the band kick in with “All Made Up” and especially “Handrail” - your are sold as driving guitars and layered harmonies draw you in. Extremely well balanced and pulling the most from each instrument songs like in “Perfect Fool”, “Just Another Day” and “Few Words Hold Meaning” radiate with swirling pop finesse yet are anchored with thick guitars and pounding grooves. Just as poetic on paper Matt Kurzban’s silk voice embraces the patriotic “Push To Exit”, the acoustic-based “Vital Signs” and the phenomenal “Flight Delay” with chilling effect. The results are quite amazing when it all comes together and proof once again that indie records can blow away the majors. No filler all killer. Damn Glad is that damn good!
– Todd Smith - Todd Smith

Damn Glad, And That's That! (© 2003 Fachetzamerde Music)
This NY rock group takes its name from its attitude toward living, and the fact that the band is not, as they say, "angry rockers." And the music proves the point. While energetic and gritty at times, their sound maintains more of a pop sheen to it, which perhaps comes from maturity. That said, though the first song on the disc is a peppy number, featuring shimmering guitars and evoking the Smashing Pumpkins. Then their first single "Flight Delay" comes on, I am truly a fan. The hooks are there and the song pulls me in. The number "Perfect Fool" grabs me as well. It builds nicely and has a solid rhythm section, which holds down the fort. The band tackles the softer side of music with some jangly acoustic guitar numbers, though I think their strength lies on the rock side. "Lighten the Load" is a mix of acoustic and electric, and while pleasant, it doesn't have the punch or staying power of some of the electric numbers. Check them out for yourself at www.damnglad.com. - ?