Lungs of a Giant

"Headfirst Handshakes" CD

self-released

Genre: indie rock, post-hardcore

New York City

Dec 19, 2008

Lungs of a Giant plays bass-heavy indie rock reminiscent somewhat of The Feelies' brand of prickly post-punk, although their approach is far less melodic. As its title suggests, Headfirst Handshakes is a clever album but sadly it is pretty unmemorable - there is nary a song here to hum along to, and the whole record has a sense of homogeneity to it. Talk-singing and vicious, angular instrumentation adorn LoaG with a distinct coolness not unlike early Dismemberment Plan ("Something Drastic Hasta Happen," "From Breadbox to Manger Scene") but their energy only keeps you coming back so often. At times this quartet hints at their potential but fails to live up to it. Folky "The Killing Song" shows early promise but loses focus and goes on for too long, while "Polluted Man" could have been the band's anthem had it been given a hook and a bit of tunefulness. With its sheen of cool, I wanted to like Headfirst Handshakes more than I did. Sadly, sometimes you get what you get.

lungs of a giant's myspace

68%

youuuuuuuutube!: "sentimental dolphin" video

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 10 tracks, distributed by SuperCompuGlobal, released 2006]