Album Notes

From JeremyGloff.com:

The highs I experienced in 1995 were paralleled equally by the lows I felt in 1996. The thrill and adventure of my new Buffalo life came skidding to a quick halt shortly after the release of BELOW THE VELVET. I was twenty and getting my first bitter taste of growing up and realizing how the world ticks. As fabulous and important as the nightclubs seemed at first, I was perceptive enough to quickly realize how false and affected people tended to be. The friends who were "kiss kiss" and "hug hug" when I was smiling just weren't too interested in what I had to say when I was thoughtful and frowning. I was disappointed by this.

If BELOW THE VELVET captured my warrior comedic side, MIDNIGHT BLOOMING caught me thoughtful and blue. It was my friend Sadie who challenged me as we were pulling into a toll both on the I-95. She said "Jeremy, you are brave enough to write about giving blow-jobs but I don't think you're brave enough to write about how you haven't talked to your mother in seven months." I took Sadie's observations to heart and set out to write about what was hiding behind the smile I showed everyone at the clubs.

I'd initially written a lot of these songs on the acoustic guitar but when I purchased a Yamaha W7 synth I began experimenting. I was averse to typecasting very early in the game so I was determined to shake the boy-with-the-guitar image. MIDNIGHT BLOOMING is a mixture of pop, dark wave, eurotechno, 80s, folk, and r&b. The lyrics were internal and intimate, and I believe I was somewhat successful in sonically matching the music to the emotions. My biggest influence at the time was the music of Teena Marie.

In July 1996 I packed my station wagon and left Buffalo. I would never live there again.