Glow in the Dark

AMG Review of Glow in the Dark

Romain Guillou
All Music Guide

This split 7" between Herman Düne and the Stars at My Desk is a nice little thing. There are four early Herman Düne songs on the first side (Glow) with guitars only. "What Do You Know (About My Philosophy)?" is a strange tune reminiscent of a delirious Daniel Johnston because of the melody and also because they're trying and not succeeding to get a high-pitched voice. "Skinhead" and "Sitting Beside You" are vintage Herman Düne, as one can hear on every album, except there are no drums. On the contrary, "Carnival of Soul is somewhat like a Mountain Goats song, with the three-note melody and the very lo-fi sound, guitars sounding like electrical ones being unplugged. Facing this Glow side is the Stars at My Desk's Dark part, which also has early material. Though they probably aren't the best ones heard from this band, the cover of the Shipping News' "Pen vs. Harmony," as well as the instrumental "All My Savings," make the second face of the split more than merely valuable. An acoustic guitar four-track recorder for melodic pop lo-fi.