The Resolution (album)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''The Glass Passenger'' is the second
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
by American
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
band
Jack's Mannequin Jack's Mannequin is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 2004, hailing from Orange County, California, Orange County, California. The band originally began as a solo project for Andrew McMahon, the frontman of Something Corporate. The b ...
. Frontman
Andrew McMahon Andrew Ross McMahon (born September 3, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter. He is the vocalist, pianist and primary lyricist for the bands Something Corporate and main songwriter for Jack's Mannequin and performs solo both under his own nam ...
was diagnosed with
acute lymphoblastic leukemia Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the Lymphocyte, lymphoid line of blood cells characterized by the development of large numbers of lymphoblast, immature lymphocytes. Symptoms may include feeling tired, pale skin color, fever, ...
in mid-2005 following the recording of their debut album '' Everything in Transit''. While touring, McMahon suffered from
writer's block Writer's block is a non-medical condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author is either unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown. Writer's block has various degrees of severity, from difficulty in coming ...
, which did not dissipate until mid-2006; many of the songs that would appear on ''The Glass Passenger'' were written mid-to-late 2007. Further writing sessions were held when a number of the dates were cancelled due to McMahon suffering from exhaustion and fatigue. ''The Glass Passenger'' was produced by McMahon and Jim Wirt and co-produced by CJ Eiriksson; the tracking marked the first time McMahon worked with the band in the studio. Though the main recording sessions took place at two California-based studios (4th Street Recording and Sound City), additional recording followed at several other studios in both California and Texas. Most of the recording was done by December 2007, but label and business problems started to creep into the sessions, resulting in McMahon going on a
sabbatical A sabbatical (from the Hebrew: (i.e., Sabbath); in Latin ; Greek: ) is a rest or break from work; "an extended period of time intentionally spent on something that’s not your routine job." The concept of the sabbatical is based on the Bi ...
in January 2008. Around this time, the band signed to
Sire Records Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records. History Beginnings The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gotteh ...
and scheduled the album's release for April/May. Musically a
power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a subgenre of rock music and form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, ...
album, with comparisons to
Ben Folds Benjamin Scott Folds (born September 12, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. After playing in several small independent bands throughout the late 80s and into the early 90s, Folds came to prominence as the f ...
and
Bruce Hornsby Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass music, bluegrass, folk music, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock music, rock, heartland r ...
, ''The Glass Passenger'' saw McMahon focus on the aftermath and the recovery from his leukemia, backed with a new-found perspective on the world. A club tour, a stint on the
Warped Tour The Warped Tour is a Concert tour, touring Rock music, rock music festival that toured the United States and Canada each summer from 1995 until 2019, and returned in 2025 for its 30th anniversary. By 2015, Warped was the largest traveling music ...
and a support slot for
Paramore Paramore is an American rock band formed in Franklin, Tennessee, in 2004. Since 2017, the band's lineup includes lead vocalist Hayley Williams, lead guitarist Taylor York, and drummer Zac Farro. Williams and Farro are founding members of ...
led into the release of "The Resolution" as a single in mid-August, prior to the eventual release of ''The Glass Passenger'' on September 30. It sold 49,000 copies in its first week, charting at number eight on the ''Billboard'' 200, and reached the top 10 on other ''Billboard'' charts. The album received a positive reception from critics, with a few commenting on lyrics and the record serving as a good follow-up, or even besting, ''Everything in Transit''. Touring continued with another US club tour at the end of the year, shows in Japan and Australia in early 2009, and two further US tours (a two-month headliner and a three-month support slot for
the Fray The Fray is an American rock band from Denver, Colorado, formed in 2002 by schoolmates Isaac Slade and Joe King. Their debut studio album, '' How to Save a Life'' (2005) was released by Epic Records and received quadruple platinum certific ...
). "Swim" was released as a single in June.


Background

Jack's Mannequin's debut album '' Everything in Transit'' was released in August 2005 through
Maverick Records Maverick was an American entertainment company founded in 1992 by Warner Music Group and run by recording artist Madonna, as well as Frederick DeMann and Veronica "Ronnie" Dashev. It included a record label ( Maverick Records), a film producti ...
. A few months before its release, frontman
Andrew McMahon Andrew Ross McMahon (born September 3, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter. He is the vocalist, pianist and primary lyricist for the bands Something Corporate and main songwriter for Jack's Mannequin and performs solo both under his own nam ...
had been diagnosed with
acute lymphoblastic leukemia Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the Lymphocyte, lymphoid line of blood cells characterized by the development of large numbers of lymphoblast, immature lymphocytes. Symptoms may include feeling tired, pale skin color, fever, ...
and spent several months undergoing
chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated chemo, sometimes CTX and CTx) is the type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (list of chemotherapeutic agents, chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) in a standard chemotherapy re ...
treatment. His sickness shifted his focus from writing new music to getting better. Jack's Mannequin played its first concert following McMahon's diagnosis in December of that year. The band began several tours over the next two years, both supporting the likes of
O.A.R. O.A.R. (short for Of A Revolution) is an American rock band, founded in 1996 in Rockville, Maryland. The band consists of lead vocalist/guitarist Marc Roberge, drummer Chris Culos, guitarist Richard On, bassist Benj Gershman, and saxophonist/g ...
and
Panic! at the Disco Panic! at the Disco was an American pop rock band formed in Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2004 by high school friends Ryan Ross (guitar) and Spencer Smith (musician), Spencer Smith (drums), who recruited classmates Brendon Urie (vocals and ...
in 2006 and also headlining shows, including Tour for a Cure and the West Coast Winter Tour. McMahon had waited until he recovered before he began the writing. He soon went through a period of
writer's block Writer's block is a non-medical condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author is either unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown. Writer's block has various degrees of severity, from difficulty in coming ...
after being unable to convey his illness through his songs. Around this time, he was working on Treaty of Paris' debut album '' Sweet Dreams, Sucker'' for his label Airport Tapes and Records. By July 2006, he had worked through the writer's block and was writing alone in a studio. He said the material was specifically intended for the next Jack's Mannequin record and was reminiscent of
the Postal Service The Postal Service was an American indie pop group from Seattle, Seattle, Washington, consisting of singer Ben Gibbard, producer Dntel, Jimmy Tamborello (also known by his stage name, Dntel), and Jenny Lewis on background vocals. The band relea ...
and
Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970), known mononymously as Beck, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi mus ...
's '' Sea Change'' (2002). With the touring cycle for ''Everything in Transit'' finishing in March 2007, McMahon focused on writing new material, though he was unsure if it would be for Jack's Mannequin or his other band
Something Corporate Something Corporate (also known as SoCo) is an American Rock music, rock band from Laguna Niguel, Orange County, California, Orange County, California, formed in 1998. Their currently active line-up includes vocalist and pianist Andrew McMahon, ...
. After writing "Crashin", McMahon wrote much more material. Most of the songs that would appear on the next record were written in summer 2008, though a few tracks, like "What Gets You Off", were written earlier in July 2007. The band had planned to tour in October, however, due to the constant touring over the preceding 14 months, McMahon suffered mental exhaustion and physical fatigue. The tour was cancelled as a result. They accumulated newly written material in October and November.


Production

The album's main tracking sessions took place at 4th Street Recording in Santa Monica, California, with engineer Spencer Guerra, and Sound City in Van Nuys, California, with engineer Adam Fuller. McMahon used the same production team—Jim Wirt and CJ Eiriksson—from the ''Everything in Transit'' sessions: McMahon and Wirt assumed producer duties, while Eiriksson handled co-producer and engineering roles. Bandmate Bobby 'Raw' Anderson did additional production, while Max Coane took on other engineering. Further recording was done at a variety of studios with or without secondary engineers: Pedernales Studio in Austin, Texas, with Jacob Sciba, Jared Dodd and Bobby Huber;
Sunset Sound Sunset (or sundown) is the disappearance of the Sun at the end of the Sun path, below the horizon of the Earth (or any other astronomical object in the Solar System) due to its rotation. As viewed from everywhere on Earth, it is a phenomenon th ...
in Hollywood, California, with Grahm Hope and Clifton Allen; Fox Force Five Recordings in Hollywood; Ameraycan Studios in North Hollywood with Alek Edmonds and Mat Camara; Paramount Studios in Hollywood with Nicolas Fournier; Rock Xentral in Sherman Oaks, California, with Jose Alcantar; Studio Delux in Van Nuys; and Blue World Music in Dripping Springs, Texas. Neil Couser handled additional engineering on "What Gets You Off", as did Pete Martinez on "Suicide Blonde". Chris Rezanson contributed additional programming on "American Love". McMahon wanted to make a "very organic" and "natural-sounding" album that stood apart from a few of the "more digital approaches" used when recording music. These sessions marked the first time McMahon worked in the studio with his backing band, which consisted of Anderson, bassist Jon Sullivan and drummer Jay McMillan. McMahon mentioned the studio dynamic changed slightly having his band in the studio with him, giving it a more familiar feeling. Wanting to have the album "feel played", as opposed to "chopped up and doctored", a lot of ideas were shared among everyone in the studio—six or seven people at any given time. McMahon had some trouble with his label
Sire Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French. The words "sire" an ...
/
Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (known as Warner Bros. Records Inc. until 2019) is an American record label. A subsidiary of Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division ...
, which was in the process of internal changes. Among other things, he was unsure who he was supposed to play his music to, and who oversaw the recording budget. Occasionally, the recording process was halted until details had been settled with his label. Most of the recording was done by December; additional vocals and overdubs were tracked later that month. The album was planned to be mixed in January, however, the business process began to overwhelm the recording process. McMahon decided to take a
sabbatical A sabbatical (from the Hebrew: (i.e., Sabbath); in Latin ; Greek: ) is a rest or break from work; "an extended period of time intentionally spent on something that’s not your routine job." The concept of the sabbatical is based on the Bi ...
that month instead. He learned of a friend's plans to go on a surfing trip in
Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...
and drove to New York, before the two flew to Costa Rica. Recording eventually concluded in May, with a total of 24 songs being tracked.
Chris Lord-Alge Chris Lord-Alge is an American mix engineer. He is the brother of both Tom Lord-Alge and Jeff Lord-Alge, both of whom are also audio engineers. Chris and Tom are known for their abundant use of dynamic range compression for molding mixes that ...
mixed the recordings, while
Ted Jensen Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings, including the Eagles' '' Hotel California'', Green Day's '' American Idiot'' and Norah Jones' ''Come Away with Me''. Early life ...
mastered them at
Sterling Sound Studios George Marino (April 15, 1947June 4, 2012) was an American mastering engineer known for working on albums by rock bands starting in the late 1960s. Biography Marino was born on April 15, 1947, in the New York City borough The Bronx. He attended ...
in New York.


Composition

The album's title ''The Glass Passenger'' is taken from "Hey Hey Hey (We're All Gonna Die)", a track written early in the writing process. Ultimately, it was not recorded for the album but appeared on the band's next album ''
People and Things ''People and Things'' is the third and final studio album by American rock music, rock band Jack's Mannequin. It was released on October 4, 2011, through Sire Records. Following the release of ''The Glass Passenger'' (2008), the band's vocalist a ...
'' (2011). McMahon said it was symbolic of his fragile state in the days leading up to his diagnosis. He wanted to avoid writing "the cancer record" as he described it, preferring instead to tackle other themes that had cropped up in his life—the most common being able to find "light in the struggle f getting through life. The material dealt mainly with the aftermath and recovery from his illness and his new-found perspective on the world. Musically, the album's sound has been classed as
power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a subgenre of rock music and form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, ...
, with comparisons being made to
Ben Folds Benjamin Scott Folds (born September 12, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. After playing in several small independent bands throughout the late 80s and into the early 90s, Folds came to prominence as the f ...
, and McMahon's piano playing being described as reminiscent of
Bruce Hornsby Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass music, bluegrass, folk music, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock music, rock, heartland r ...
. "Crashin" is about suffering from writer's block and being able to get through it. The
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
track "Spinning" has quiet verses; it features McMahon harmonizing with
Stacy Clark Stacy Clark (born September 21, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter born in Buffalo, New York. Beginnings Clark was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. Self-taught, Clark stood out in the Buffalo music scene and was often compared to th ...
. McMahon was in the post-recovery stage of his treatment dealing with posttraumatic stress and depression. One night, he wrote several words on a piece of paper. When he woke, he saw the word "Swim"; he viewed it as a sign to pull himself out of his issues. "Swim" became the song with which McMahon felt he would overcome his problems. "American Love", alongside "Bloodshot", channels new wave with additional keyboards by
Patrick Warren Patrick Warren (born March 26, 1957) is an American musician, composer, and record producer. He is known for his work on the films ''Magnolia'', ''Fifty Shades of Grey'', ''Boogie Nights'' and ''Red State'', as well as the television series '' ...
, and horn instrumentation by
Grooveline Horns Grooveline Horns is an American funk and R&B-based horn section, originating in Austin, Texas. They are best known for touring and recording with Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, Jason Mraz, and Zac Brown Band. They are also performing on the Kill To ...
. McMahon had trouble writing it initially, until he looked through his journal. He highlighted phrases written in the preceding six months and wrote verses with these lines in them. They describe a person struggling in a bad situation. "What Gets You Off" is about the recovery of McMahon's libido. "Suicide Blonde" features new wave-style guitar parts, alongside McMahon, Wirt and Anderson playing
kazoo The kazoo is a musical instrument that adds a ''buzzing'' timbral quality to a player's voice when the player vocalizes into it. It is a type of '' mirliton'' (itself a membranophone), one of a class of instruments that modify the player's v ...
s, and Sullivan using a
talk box A talk box (also spelled talkbox and talk-box) is an effects unit that allows musicians to modify the sound of a musical instrument by shaping the frequency content of the sound and to apply speech sounds (in the same way as singing) onto the so ...
. "Annie Use Your Telescope" initially lasted for two-and-a-half minutes, until Wirt suggested it be extended. It features strings, and Sullivan playing the
upright bass The double bass (), also known as the upright bass, the acoustic bass, the bull fiddle, or simply the bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched string instrument, chordophone in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding rare additions ...
. "Bloodshot" features
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
-influenced verses with McMahon, McMillan and Sullivan providing hand claps and stomping. McMahon said it was a character study of people other than himself. "Drop Out - The So Unknown" is a
power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a subgenre of rock music and form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, ...
track, in the vein of Folds. "Hammers and Strings (A Lullaby)" is an ode to the piano and has its origins during McMahon's time in Something Corporate. "The Resolution" and "Caves" talk about McMahon's battle with cancer. The title for "Caves" came from the name of the rehearsal space where he wrote it. McMahon came up with the song's piano hook after hearing it in his head at 2:00 AM. He got up, went to his piano and began writing the track, which he tried to avoid writing as he "wasn't sure ewanted to live it again". Each verse of the latter track is about a different occasion while he was in hospital. The first half of track has McMahon playing the piano and singing in a
falsetto Falsetto ( , ; Italian language, Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ...
before the piano speeds up and fades out, prior to the full-band performing. The second half of the song addresses the aftermath of him leaving the hospital. "Cell Phone" is an
outtake An outtake is a portion of a work (usually a film or music recording) that is removed in the editing process and not included in the work's final, publicly released version. In the digital era, significant outtakes have been appended to CD and D ...
tracked at the end of the ''Everything in Transit'' sessions but was left unfinished at the time. Its theme is relationship-centric; while recovering from his illness in the studio he re-listened to the song and re-wrote it.


Release


Initial promotion and delays

In December 2007, ''The Glass Passenger'' was announced as the title of Jack's Mannequin's next album. Later that month, McMahon said the album was expected to be released in April/May 2008. On January 30, 2008, it was disclosed the band had signed to
Sire Records Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records. History Beginnings The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gotteh ...
having been moved to Sire by
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
after Maverick Records folded. On February 25, the album was announced for release on April 22 but was eventually pushed back. ''
AbsolutePunk ''AbsolutePunk'' was a website, online community, and alternative music news source founded by Jason Tate (the most recent CEO). The website mainly focused on artists who are relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, but it was known to featu ...
'' reported on June 3 the album had been mixed and was in the process of being mastered in New York. During July, McMahon told the
Montclair State University Montclair State University (MSU) is a public research university in Montclair, New Jersey, with parts of the campus extending into Clifton and into Little Falls. As of fall 2018, Montclair State was, by enrollment, the second largest public un ...
student newspaper the release date would be moved to late August or early September 2008. On July 18, the album's final release date was given as September 30. The album's track listing and artwork was revealed on July 28. "The Resolution" was posted on the group's
Myspace Myspace (formerly stylized as MySpace, currently myspace; and sometimes my␣, with an elongated Whitespace character#Substitute images, open box symbol) is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003, it w ...
profile on August 4. On August 5, an EP titled ''The Ghost Overground'' was released exclusively on
iTunes iTunes is a media player, media library, and mobile device management (MDM) utility developed by Apple. It is used to purchase, play, download and organize digital multimedia on personal computers running the macOS and Windows operating s ...
. It contains two new songs "The Resolution" and "Bloodshot", and live versions of "Kill the Messenger" and "Holiday from Real". "The Resolution" was released to radio on August 19; a music video was filmed for the track in early September. McMahon combed through
video treatment A film treatment (or simply treatment) is a piece of prose, typically the step between scene cards (index cards) and the first draft of a screenplay for a motion picture, television program, or radio play. It is generally longer and more detailed ...
s. Though he saw some positive ones, McMahon felt nothing stood out. Someone at his label suggested he think beyond simply approaching video directors; McMahon suggested author
Stephenie Meyer Stephenie Meyer (; Morgan; born December 24, 1973) is an American novelist and film producer. She is best known for writing the vampire literature, vampire romance series ''Twilight (novel series), Twilight'', which has sold over 160 million ...
. She had been a fan of his work, even going as far as naming him as an inspiration for her own work. The group contacted her and ask if she would be interested. She had no experience directing so collaborated with co-director Noble Jones. Meyer's treatment came about after studying the song's lyrics. When Jones heard the treatment would cost more than their budget allowed, he made a few adjustments. Meyer then re-watched music videos she loved to get a sense of style, including those for
OK Go OK Go is an American Rock music, rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois, now based in Los Angeles, California. The band is composed of Damian Kulash (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, guitar), Tim Nordwind (bass guitar, bass, backing vocalist, v ...
's "
Here It Goes Again "Here It Goes Again" is a song by American rock band OK Go, the fifth single released from their second studio album, '' Oh No'' (2005). It was the band's only single to chart on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 until " I Won't Let You Down" in Nove ...
", Brand New's " Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades" and
My Chemical Romance My Chemical Romance is an American Rock music, rock band from New Jersey. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, lead guitarist Ray Toro, rhythm guitarist Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way. They are considered one of ...
's "
Helena Helena may refer to: People *Helena (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Katri Helena (born 1945), Finnish singer * Saint Helena (disambiguation), this includes places Places Greece * Helena ...
". The video was filmed over a 14-hour period off the
Pacific Coast Highway Pacific Coast Highway may refer to: Roads * Pacific Coast Highway or PCH, segments of California State Route 1 * Pacific Coast Highway, parts of New Zealand State Highway 2 and all of New Zealand State Highway 25 and New Zealand State Highway 35. ...
, and required three set pieces—an ocean, a desert and a mountaintop.


Eventual release and further promotion

A new EP entitled ''In Valleys'', also an iTunes exclusive, was released on September 9. It included "Swim", "Cell Phone", "In Slow Motion (Sleazy Wednesday)" and "At Full Speed". On the initial EP, "At Full Speed" was incorrectly titled "Annie Use Your Telescope". To make amends for the mix-up, the band posted "Annie Use Your Telescope" on their Myspace. A third EP, ''The Resolution EP'', was released on September 23 as a
Verizon Verizon Communications Inc. ( ), is an American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. It is the world's second-largest telecommunications company by revenue and its mobile network is the largest wireless carrier in the ...
and Rhapsody exclusive. It includes the songs "The Resolution", "Annie Use Your Telescope" and an acoustic version of "The Resolution". The music video for "The Resolution" was released on September 29. It features McMahon performing the track, before being lured into the sea by the siren call of a mermaid. He attempts to resist, but ends up in the ocean. ''The Glass Passenger'' was made available for streaming through ''
Alternative Press Alternative press may refer to: Individual publications * ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine Alternative journalism * Alternative media ** Alternative media (U.S. political left) ** Alternative media (U.S. political r ...
'' website on September 29, before being released through Sire and Warner Bros. Records on September 30. Every edition of the album features the bonus track "Miss California"; the Japanese edition also includes the bonus track "Doris Day". McMahon explained that while making "Miss California" he was not that impressed with it, but by the time it came to be mixed he highly enjoyed it, and included it as bonus track to not disrupt the sequencing. The collectors edition CD/DVD combo includes a short film ''Choke, California'', directed by James Minchin III. Fans who pre-ordered the album at
The Bamboozle The Bamboozle was an annual three-day music festival which was held in New Jersey from 2003 to 2012, and was scheduled for a 2023 revival in Atlantic City by its founder. Every year, new bands competed for spots during the two days. The event ...
festival were given a
lithograph Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the miscibility, immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by ...
, a digital download copy of the album, and a photobook. On October 2, the group performed "The Resolution" on ''
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the fourth and sixth installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Jay Leno, it aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009, replacing ''The Ton ...
''. In late May, the band said they were looking for original fanart to include in the music video for "Swim". It was filmed the following month with director Steven Murashige. An unofficial video, shot by director Emilio Martinez, consisted of touring footage and was released on June 11 to hold fans over until the official video was completed. To promote Jack's Mannequin's appearance on tour with
the Fray The Fray is an American rock band from Denver, Colorado, formed in 2002 by schoolmates Isaac Slade and Joe King. Their debut studio album, '' How to Save a Life'' (2005) was released by Epic Records and received quadruple platinum certific ...
, the track was released as a single. The official video premiered through ''AbsolutePunk'' on July 21. McMahon said he wanted the official video to be about the human condition in general, rather than his own. Incorporating the fan art, the clip was turned into a "universal meditation on hope and perseverance." A deluxe edition of the album was released on March 23. It features the album, the ''In Valleys'' and ''The Ghost Underground'' EPs, along with additional live tracks and footage from touring. Independent label Music on Vinyl re-pressed the album on vinyl in November 2018; McMahon had spent the preceding year discussing a reissue of the release with his former label, who did not reciprocate interest.


Touring

In February 2008, the band went on a US college tour, followed by an appearance at The Bamboozle festival in late May. In July, the band participated on the
Warped Tour The Warped Tour is a Concert tour, touring Rock music, rock music festival that toured the United States and Canada each summer from 1995 until 2019, and returned in 2025 for its 30th anniversary. By 2015, Warped was the largest traveling music ...
, before supporting
Paramore Paramore is an American rock band formed in Franklin, Tennessee, in 2004. Since 2017, the band's lineup includes lead vocalist Hayley Williams, lead guitarist Taylor York, and drummer Zac Farro. Williams and Farro are founding members of ...
on their headlining US tour in July and August. In October and November, the band went on a club tour in the US titled Hammers and Strings: An Evening with Jack's Mannequin and ''The Glass Passenger''. During the tour, they performed ''The Glass Passenger'' in its entirety. The group was supported Eric Hutshinson,
Fun Fun is defined by the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' as "light-hearted pleasure, enjoyment, or amusement; boisterous joviality or merrymaking; entertainment". Etymology and usage The word ''fun'' is associated with sports, entertaining medi ...
and Treaty of Paris on select dates. In January 2009, the band performed a few shows in Japan, before appearing at Soundwave festival in Australia in February and March. Following this, the band performed two shows in both Germany and the UK, and then embarked on a tour of the US in April and May. Dubbed the Father from the Earth tour, the band was supported by
Matt Nathanson Matt Nathanson (born March 28, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter whose work is a blend of folk and rock and roll music. In addition to singing, he plays acoustic (sometimes a 12-string) and electric guitar, and has played both solo and with ...
,
Low vs Diamond Low vs Diamond was an American rock band formed in 2002 by Lucas Field, Howie Diamond, and Tad Moore (birth name: James Thaddeus Moore IV) while they were students at the University of Colorado. Following graduation, they relocated to Los Angele ...
and
Erin McCarley Erin Elizabeth McCarley (born January 8, 1979) is an alternative music singer-songwriter. McCarley attended college at Baylor University, and is now based in Nashville, Tennessee.Chase, Sandy (2008)LIVE AND DANGEROUS: Erin McCarley floats with ...
. Before the tour took place, a number of dates in both April and May were cancelled initially without an explanation. Shortly afterwards, the band issued a statement mentioning they had received a tour offer from
the Fray The Fray is an American rock band from Denver, Colorado, formed in 2002 by schoolmates Isaac Slade and Joe King. Their debut studio album, '' How to Save a Life'' (2005) was released by Epic Records and received quadruple platinum certific ...
. McMahon said he was "very interested but had not wanted to reschedule shows" as presale tickets had been sold. However, when he learned Jack's Mannequin would be given a 60-minute support slot, it "gave imsolace in the midst of a difficult decision." The cancelled shows were rescheduled with dates in the fall. Between mid-June and early August, the band toured with the Fray across the US. After this, the group appeared at the
Reading and Leeds Festivals The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend. The Reading Fest ...
in the UK.


Reception

''The Glass Passenger'' debuted at number eight on the ''Billboard'' 200 having sold 49,000 units in its first week. It also reached number two on
Digital Albums The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...
, number three on
Alternative Albums The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...
and
Top Rock Albums The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...
, and number 10 on the
Top Tastemaker Albums The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...
chart. "The Resolution" charted at number 27 on
Alternative Songs Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks between 1988 and 2009, and Alternative Songs between 2009 and 2020) is a music chart published in the American magazine ''Billboard'' since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-play ...
and number 28 on Triple A Songs. "Swim" charted at number 34 on the
Adult Top 40 The Adult Pop Airplay (formerly known as Adult Pop Songs and Adult Top 40) chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and ranks "the most popular adult top 40 as based on radio airplay detections measured by Nielsen Broadcast Data Syste ...
chart. ''The Glass Passenger'' received generally favorable reviews from critics, according to review aggregation website
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
. ''
Melodic A melody (), also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combination of pitch and rhythm, while more figuratively, the term c ...
'' reviewer Andrew Ellis said McMahon had successfully followed ''Transit'' with a record that was "similar, yet somehow different" than his past work. Though he mentioned it might not "seem as initially compelling" as ''Transit'', the "glorious" melodies were clear evidence that the band surpassed the
sophomore slump A sophomore slump (also known as a sophomore jinx or sophomore jitters) is when a sophomore fails to live up to the relatively high standards that occurred during freshman year. It is commonly used to refer to the apathy of students (second year ...
"with flying colours".
Annie Zaleski Annie Zaleski is a ''New York Times'' best-selling author and music historian. Career Zaleski is a regular writer for mainstream media outlets such as The Guardian and NPR Music, and a columnist at ''Salon''. She is based in Cleveland, Ohio w ...
of ''
Alternative Press Alternative press may refer to: Individual publications * ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine Alternative journalism * Alternative media ** Alternative media (U.S. political left) ** Alternative media (U.S. political r ...
'' noted that it was considerably "more complex and sophisticated" than ''Transit'', writing that a person does not need to know McMahon's life story to "relate to and resonate with his music", which in turn makes it "a fantastic, special album". ''
AbsolutePunk ''AbsolutePunk'' was a website, online community, and alternative music news source founded by Jason Tate (the most recent CEO). The website mainly focused on artists who are relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, but it was known to featu ...
'' staff member Drew Beringer said the album's "variety and diversity" removes it from ''Everything in Transit'' and other pop releases. He felt that both McMahon's lyrics and song structures "continue to get better" as he "cement himself as the current scene’s best pop musician". Sputnikmusic emeritus Athom wrote that the majority of the tracks, despite being rooted in "typical pop-rock like broken hearts and separation", managed to pull off "as surprisingly personal". Though McMahon's lyrics "occasionally falter", they come across as "stronger than they've even been" in spite of his vocals "occasionally fall ngshort". ''
Rock Sound ''Rock Sound'' is a British magazine that covers rock music. The magazine aims at being more " underground" and less commercial, while also giving coverage to better-known acts. It generally focuses on pop punk, post-hardcore, metalcore, punk, ...
'' Iain Moffat said McMahon did "a fine job ... exploring id-to-late-80s AOR with aseldom-ploughed furrow". Erica Futterman of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' referred to the album as "a candid portrait of survival", adding that McMahon "made a more honest album than many of his emo peers". ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' Jaya Saxena found the lyrics "often revealing" as McMahon comes across as "a bit bored" with him "forc ngclichéd metaphors into power ballads". Making it two-thirds into the album to "the genuinely heartfelt 'Hammers and Strings (A Lullaby)", it's "too late; the ratio of cheese to sincerity is just too high".
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
reviewer Andrew Leahey wrote the album's introspective narrative "sometimes pales in comparison with the summery songs" featured on ''Transit''. He added it may not contain pop hooks like those on ''Transit'', but it "does stay afloat under the weight of McMahon's past, which bodes well for the songwriter's future work". ''
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...
'' editor Evan Sawdey referred to the album as a "half-baked collection" of tracks which "lose sight" of McMahon's strengths to focus more so on a "grandiose sense of self-importance". He did note it featured "even more orchestral flourishes, towering choruses, and dramatic lyrics" than those that graced ''Transit''. ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...
'' writer Jon Young said the album "match shyperemotional melodies" with McMahon's "tender voice on dramatic tracks".


Track listing

All songs written by
Andrew McMahon Andrew Ross McMahon (born September 3, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter. He is the vocalist, pianist and primary lyricist for the bands Something Corporate and main songwriter for Jack's Mannequin and performs solo both under his own nam ...
.


Personnel

Personnel per booklet. Jack's Mannequin *
Andrew McMahon Andrew Ross McMahon (born September 3, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter. He is the vocalist, pianist and primary lyricist for the bands Something Corporate and main songwriter for Jack's Mannequin and performs solo both under his own nam ...
piano, lead vocals, keyboards (tracks 1–6, 8–9 and 11),
B3 organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...
(tracks 2–5, 9, 11 and 13),
kazoo The kazoo is a musical instrument that adds a ''buzzing'' timbral quality to a player's voice when the player vocalizes into it. It is a type of '' mirliton'' (itself a membranophone), one of a class of instruments that modify the player's v ...
(track 6), stomping (track 8), clapping (track 8),
accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German language, German ', from '—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a Reed (mou ...
(track 10),
glockenspiel The glockenspiel ( ; or , : bells and : play) or bells is a percussion instrument consisting of pitched aluminum or steel bars arranged in a Musical keyboard, keyboard layout. This makes the glockenspiel a type of metallophone, similar to the v ...
(track 12) * Jay McMillandrums (tracks 1–11 and 13), stomping (track 8), clapping (track 8) * Bobby 'Raw' Andersonguitar, background vocals (tracks 1–2, 4–9, 11 and 13), kazoo (track 6) * Jonathan Sullivanbass (tracks 1–11),
talk box A talk box (also spelled talkbox and talk-box) is an effects unit that allows musicians to modify the sound of a musical instrument by shaping the frequency content of the sound and to apply speech sounds (in the same way as singing) onto the so ...
(track 6),
upright bass The double bass (), also known as the upright bass, the acoustic bass, the bull fiddle, or simply the bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched string instrument, chordophone in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding rare additions ...
(track 7), stomping (track 8), clapping (track 8) Additional musicians * CJ Eirikssondrums (tracks 1, 6 and 8),
programming Program (American English; also Commonwealth English in terms of computer programming and related activities) or programme (Commonwealth English in all other meanings), programmer, or programming may refer to: Business and management * Program m ...
(tracks 1–4, 6–9 and 11–12),
tambourine The tambourine is a musical instrument in the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zills". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, thoug ...
(track 4) *
Stacy Clark Stacy Clark (born September 21, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter born in Buffalo, New York. Beginnings Clark was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. Self-taught, Clark stood out in the Buffalo music scene and was often compared to th ...
background vocals (tracks 1 and 2) * Jim Wirtbackground vocals (tracks 1–2, 4–5, 11 and 13), bass (track 4, 13), kazoo (track 6), additional vocals (track 8) * P.J. Smithbackground vocals (tracks 1 and 4) *
Patrick Warren Patrick Warren (born March 26, 1957) is an American musician, composer, and record producer. He is known for his work on the films ''Magnolia'', ''Fifty Shades of Grey'', ''Boogie Nights'' and ''Red State'', as well as the television series '' ...
bells (track 1), additional keyboards (track 4), arrangement (track 4), Chamberlain (tracks 5, 7, 10–11 and 13),
pump organ The pump organ or reed organ is a type of organ that uses free reed aerophone, free reeds to generate sound, with air passing over vibrating thin metal strips mounted in a frame. Types include the pressure-based harmonium, the suction reed organ ...
(track 10), effects (track 13) * Max Coaneadditional percussion (track 1), programming (track 12) *
Grooveline Horns Grooveline Horns is an American funk and R&B-based horn section, originating in Austin, Texas. They are best known for touring and recording with Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, Jason Mraz, and Zac Brown Band. They are also performing on the Kill To ...
horns arrangement (track 4) * Fernando Castillo
trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...
(track 4) * Raul Vallejo
trombone The trombone (, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's lips vibrate inside a mouthpiece, causing the Standing wave, air c ...
(track 4) * Carlos Sosa
saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to p ...
(track 4) * Aaron Dixonadditional guitar (track 12) * Chris Rezansonadditional programming (track 4) Production * Andrew McMahonproducer * Jim Wirtproducer * CJ Eirikssonco-producer, engineer * Bobby 'Raw' Andersonadditional production * Max Coaneadditional engineering * Neil Couseradditional engineering (track 5) * Pete Martinezadditional engineering (track 6) * Spencer Guerrasecond engineer * Adam Fullersecond engineer * Grahm Hopesecond engineer * Clifton Allensecond engineer * Alek Edmondssecond engineer * Mat Camarasecond engineer * Nicholas Fourniersecond engineer * Jacob Scibasecond engineer * Jared Doddsecond engineer * Bobby Huntersecond engineer * Jose Alcantarsecond engineer * Nik Karpensecond engineer * Keith Armstrongsecond engineer *
Chris Lord-Alge Chris Lord-Alge is an American mix engineer. He is the brother of both Tom Lord-Alge and Jeff Lord-Alge, both of whom are also audio engineers. Chris and Tom are known for their abundant use of dynamic range compression for molding mixes that ...
mixing *
Ted Jensen Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings, including the Eagles' '' Hotel California'', Green Day's '' American Idiot'' and Norah Jones' ''Come Away with Me''. Early life ...
mastering * Frank Maddockscreative direction, design * James Minchin IIIphotography


Charts


References


Footnotes


Citations


Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Glass Passenger, The 2008 albums Jack's Mannequin albums Sire Records albums Warner Records albums Albums produced by Andrew McMahon Albums recorded at Sound City Studios