Photo Source: River Giant
River Giant are hitting the High Dive stage this Thursday with The Crying Shame and The Swearengens.
The trio released their debut full-length this April; the eponymously titled River Giant soars and wails its way through ten tracks. Their fondness for bands ’70’s era bands like Crazy Horse and The Band jumps out readily, but not in an overbearing or detrimental way. They tackle motifs of Americana through their modern lens of alternative rock music.
The strength of their songwriting is what sticks out first – they know how to build a foundation of a song without making it wearily repetitive. From there, they add upon the established contours by working to excitable climaxes, slowing down passages, or letting guitarist/vocalist Kyle Jacobson fly high with his pipes like a wild river on the loose. Their use of dynamics is appreciable in every song.
"Pink Flamingos," "Western," and "Fast Heart" are a few standout tracks, among others. At moments they are straightforwardly country rock, other times heavy rock ignited with feedback, and other songs sound downright folksy – taken in full though, River Giant cannot be pinned down by the confines of a single genre. Good luck getting their songs out of your head once they snake their way in!
They play this Thursday, August 10th at the High Dive for $8. Doors are 8pm; it should be a racuous affair. Check out "Fast Heart" below for a quick listen and carry on their bandcamp to stream the whole record. It is available for purchase for $10.
– Cameron LaFlam