Glass Wave

Stanford humanities badass and host of KZSU's "Entitled Opinions" Robert Harrison plays lead guitar and writes lyrics in an album of rock songs based on classic works of literature, recorded here at CCRMA's studio. Solid ensemble with a seriously impressive female vocalist. They keep it about retelling the stories, not about allusion-dropping, so the concept doesn't come off as cheesy. My picks: 3, 6, 2, 11. FCC clean. -Andy

1) Light, pretty composition of whale song, strings, acoustic guitar
*2) Cool, minor-key rocker; grabbing rapid vocals and sprawling choruses; based on an Ovid poem
*3) 10,000 Maniacs reminiscent with a heavier ending; Frankenstein's creature
4) Funky and soulful, with some darker undertones
5) Quiet, moody, wandering; weird pseudo-love-interest from the Odyssey
*6) Smoldering rock with fantastic vocals; Helen of Troy
7) Decemberists-like lulling waltz with witty rhyming; Hamlet love-interest
8) Calmed-down classic rock with electric riffs intact; Jane Austen character
9) Slide guitar and sound effects in a mellow rock number
10) Cinematic, somber, haunting
*11) Lively, measured jam-band rock until 1:40, where it downshifts into a dark ballad, with more whale song