By: Gutkovich

Rating: 6.5/11

As the 15 year 'Rule of Cool' forces us to step bravely into 1994, it's time to reevaluate grunge. Are you excited?! Damn Glad sure is, and with their earnest arena grunge sound they are well placed to benefit from our mandatory nostalgia.

DG's sound is a dim sum of flannelly notables. The vocalist lies somewhere between Layne Staley and Scott Weiland, with occasional traces of James Hetfield. Like Alice in Chains and STP, Damn Glad is not afraid to let a hook repeat and breathe (as on the track 'Hollow").

There is a thick layer of cheese melting on this grunge casserole. Their attempts at anthems deviate into especially expected lyrical territory, as in “Live Now” or “It Ain't over 'til it's Through.”

Derivative? My, yes. But DG, apart from being on point technically, does seem capable of switching it up. “In this World” adds a bass riff that makes all that crunchiness a little groovy. "Not for Nothing", their quirkiest attempt at an anthem and most listened to track on MySpace, throws in some Local H style cheeky hard rock that would seem right at home on your Plastic Guitar Playing Console Game. And that's darn skippy with me.

If you’re around Rochelle Park on February 20th, check out their live show at The Junkyard.