Giant Squid – Metridium Fields
I’ve often heard about the eclectic and thriving Austin, Texas music scene and I must say Giant Squid is my first positive experience with this geographical musical hotspot. Giant Squid really strikes me as the type of band that desires to, and has in a lot of ways, tore down some mighty walls between segregated musical genres. The foundation of this bands sound is undeniably stoner rock by nature, with heavy emphasis on the “rock”, but they take the plodding Billy Anderson production and emerge with “Neonate” that begins its fascination as a well composed and dreamy lounge lizard type of song. The subtle horn section and shoe gaze type of vibe finally falls away to embrace a heavy guitar riff, but the band continues their exciting exploration by working in 70’s analog synth lines for that under the big top atmosphere. It all seems so odd and absurd to bend the laws of musical genre characteristics and specifics, but Giant Squid have taken the challenge and opened a few new doors with their well considered and engaging songwriting skills. Pitch male vocals co-exist with a soothing female croon from a woman that possesses the quality of pipes to have fronted Mazzy Star, or other such airy shoe gazer type bands. Fans of avant-garde bands such as Beyond Dawn, or the crushing thunder brought by the musical shaman in Neurosis, or even Isis should easily be drawn to this bands roomy production and gift for creating atypical compositions that’ll leave the listener filled with artistic wonder. “Metridium Fields” is the perfect album for those cold, gray rainy days. – Marty
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