The Inconsolable Secret Explained

The Inconsolable Secret
Type:	Studio album
Artist:	Glass Hammer
Cover:	Theinconsolablesecret.jpg
Released:	July 12, 2005
Genre:	Progressive rock, symphonic rock
Length:	98:50 (original version) 168:12 (with 2013 third disc)^[1]
Label:	Arion Records/Sound Resources
Prev Title:	Shadowlands
Prev Year:	2004
Next Title:	Culture of Ascent
Next Year:	2007

The Inconsolable Secret is the eighth studio album by American progressive rock band Glass Hammer, released on July 12, 2005, by Arion Records/Sound Resources.

It is the last album with singer Walter Moore as band member (though he would continue to collaborate with the band, including on 2014's Ode to Echo), and also the first without band leader Fred Schendel acting as drummer.

A special edition of the album was released on June 25, 2013, with an additional third disc featuring five songs entirely re-recorded by the band, with new members Jon Davison and Kamran Alan Shikoh on vocals and guitar respectively. The name "inconsolable secret" comes from C.S. Lewis's sermon, The Weight of Glory.^[2]

Personnel

Glass Hammer

• Walter Moore – lead vocals^[3]
• Susie Bogdanowicz – lead vocals
• Fred Schendel – keyboards, electric and steel guitars, vocals
• Steve Babb – keyboards, bass, vocals

Additional musicians

• Matt Mendians – drums
• Sarah Snyder – vocals
• Flo Paris – vocals on “Long and Long Ago” and “Having Caught a Glimpse”
• Eric Parker – acoustic guitar
• The Adonia String Trio
  • Rebecca James – violin
  • Susan Hawkins-Whitacre – viola
  • Rachel Hackenberger – cello
• Bethany Warren – backing vocals and choir
• Stephanie Rumpza – recorder and choir
• Haley McGuire, Summer Hullender, Elimy Hammett and Natalie Pittman – choir
• Tom Hammett – vocals
• Laura Lindstrom – vocals on “Morrigan's Song”
• David Carter – lead guitar on "Long and Long Ago"

Production

• Fred Schendel and Steve Babb – production
• Bob Katz – mastering
• Roger Dean – cover art

New personnel in 2013 re-issue

• Jon Davison – lead vocals on "Long and Long Ago" and "The Morning She Woke"
• Kamran Alan Shikoh – electric and classical guitars on "The Morning She Woke" and "The Knight of the North"
• Johnny Bruhns – electric guitar on "Long And Long Ago"
• David Wallimann – electric guitar on "Having Caught A Glimpse"
• Donna Curry – flute on "Long And Long Ago" and "Having Caught A Glimpse"
• Kelly Luther Stultz – alto choir
• Josh Greene – baritone choir

Notes and References

1. News: Image indicating the length of the songs.
2. C.S. Lewis The Weight of Glory (New York: Macmillan and Co., 1966), pp. 4-5.
3. News: official page for the album. Glass Hammer website. 5 August 2014.