Glimmer (album)

The album was produced by Niko Bolas.[5] Frank Sampedro played guitar on several tracks; David Mansfield played steel guitar on "Trouble".[6][7] Todd Thibaud also contributed to Glimmer.[8]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[9]
Boston Herald	[10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[11]
Orlando Sentinel	[7]
The Tampa Tribune	[12]

The Washington City Paper thought that "the scrupulously tailored verse-chorus cadence of Glimmer's anthems feels so immediately familiar that Salem could probably make a mint ghost-writing for Tom Petty."[13] The Austin Chronicle stated that "Glimmer is loaded with big guitars—chunky, Seventies-style arena-rock rhythms (think Joe Perry sans high-dollar production) with indie tones and guitar-noodling solos."[14] The Tampa Tribune wrote: "Tom Petty with indie credibility for those hipsters who are too embarrassed to admit that Damn the Torpedoes rocks."[12]

Stewart Lee, of The Sunday Times, declared that "beautiful, compelling, nerve-shattering lead-guitar lines snake and spiral over clean and uncluttered rhythm parts, never resorting to simple effects-pedal overload"; Lee later listed Glimmer as the best album of 1996.[15][16] The St. Paul Pioneer Press thought that "Salem's tough/tender tunes, guitar wizardry and no-frills, all-thrills band just might set you on an endless road trip."[17] The Boston Herald deemed it "a screamer of an album that works the intersection of heartland rock 'n' roll and guitar-driven alternative rock."[10]

AllMusic wrote that Salem's "serious but not humorless lyrics have an almost novelistic detail to them, especially on the haunting 'Chemical Night Train', and the band ... rocks throughout."[9] The Press-Telegram considered Glimmer to be the fifth best album of 1996.[18]