Giants - Old Stories

Release Date: 08/26/08
Genre: Post-Rock

The crazy thing about this band is that they've already developed a sound for themselves that for anyone who has heard of Giants before will know it's by Giants. Their album, "They, The Undeserving," was one of my favorite albums of last year. I know some critics count them as an Explosions in the Sky clone, but it's what I like. Twinkle guitar are the best. if it's beautiful, it's beautiful.

Review: The first track is a great introduction for the band, a little on the typical side, but I like it. Great melodies to start off and it becomes louder and distorted while keeping that melody so you don't forget where you're moving towards. Maybe it's the album cover, but i feel like I'm on the ocean. The song sorta fades away into the next track, "Vessels" which feels more of a sailing song. The notes of the guitars last longer. None of those eighth notes EitS does a lot.

Another good transition into the next song, "O Tide" and it has a depressing gloomy taste to it. The beginning parts of "Whispered Ears" make my eyes want to burst. There's something sad about those notes. "Sleeping False Idol" is probably the key track of the album. I has the grand build of what makes a memorable post-rock song and when it does climax, the atmosphere just feels like it's singing and the listeners is filling in those 'words' themselves to see fit.

Summary: Even though it's consistent, I still prefer their 2007 album just because it was more catchy. I trust that they will continue to deliver on future albums, but "The Sleep of a Laboring Man" is still my favorite track so until they can top that, they might slip down into my "just another good post-rock band" category.

Key Tracks: Whispered Ears, Sleeping False Idol
Rating: 7/10