A Kiss in the Shape of a Bullet

by Tyson Kingsley

Following the release of Material Control, Glassjaw is returning to an entirely different musical landscape than they left nearly 15 years ago. At the release of their debut album "everything you ever wanted to know about silence" they were faced with a scene enveloped in a relatable theme, heartbreak. Along with heartbreak comes an attitude of anger and resentment. This is evident in lyrics such as "like a bitch in heat I hope she knows". That is a clear display of aggression towards a lost suitor.Today those words would be met with a more divided reception than they were due to less focus on masculinity and many bands taking time to pay attention to the women in music. With those old themes no longer being the standard and with Glassjaw being back in the spotlight, vocalist Daryl Palumbo found it necessary to comment on his old lyrics. Palumbo has gone on to apologize greatly for how he addressed his ex-girlfriend. Stating that nobody should be spoken to in that manner. Which is an important step in making music a safer place for women as it is very male dominated. Lyrics stemming from hatred towards particular women may make live shows a harmful setting for female fans. Given that there has been a clear shift in audience perception, one may assume that this would be met with open arms. Palumbo's request for forgiveness was rejected by many long time fans. They have gone on to belittle Palumbo for taking these steps towards bettering himself. This may be because fans simply don't want a beloved work to be tainted. No matter the case, it should be noted that along with that, they're choosing to fully ignore the reason for the apology. Seemingly small acts like these are what become barriers in out progression toward true equality in our scene.