Modern Giant seem to be a little misguided when they proclaim their sound to be something like “Paul Kelly meets The Streets”. Paul Kelly maybe, but the electro-heavy, gritty portrayal of urban Britain coined by the Streets is a far cry from Modern Giant’s patriotic jig. Modern Giant have a heartfelt, distinctly Australiana feel, employing the spoken word talents of bassist/vocalist Adam Gibson combined with easy-on-the-ear garage pop. The group’s debut longplayer, Satellite Nights, is full of cheery rhythm guitar, uncomplicated rhythms and cute indie pop hooks, with careful weaving of Gibson’s (heavily Aussie-accented) literary contribution.
Album opener I’m Not Broken is a delicate woodwind-tinged number that builds into a somewhat self-conscious shuffling climax. It’s sweet folk rock with the spotlight firmly on gently lilting vocal melodies and subtle basslines, and a great choice for the album’s first impression.
By the third track, The Band’s Broken Up, the spoken word element is finally slipped into the mix, and Gibson’s storytelling abilities certainly act as bait for your attention. While he speaks, the music slides into neutral riffing and chorusing harmonies, but when he finishes one verse, the hooky chorus catches you off guard and spurns the momentum of the song forward. The approach is energetic, engaging and strangely familiar, but seems to hold the potential to sour after repeated listens.
Keep on Movin’ is an album highlight, heavy on guitar reverb and vocal chorus effects and pumping out a catchy pop chorus. Vocalist Gynia Favot is at her best in this sometimes shouting, sometimes pleading naïve ballad that is taken up a notch with a fiercely energetic rhythm section.
If you’re after genuine Aussie pub rock, go no further than Tie One On. Bloody Mary hangovers cured with beer feature strongly in the lyrical content, and the obligatory guitar solo makes an appearance too. I Thought That You Were Somebody Else begins as an a capella singalong before launching into Beach Boys surf pop, focussing on Favot’s girly vocals with a background of repeated harmonies.
It’s on these pop tracks – where vocals and guitars are the main feature – that Modern Giant shine. Although Gibson’s spoken word segments are laden with imagery and entertaining in their own right, they verge on irritating after a short time. There simply doesn’t seem to be enough continuity between his words and the music, resulting in the spoken word songs seeming like they are clumsily thrown together.
There’s definitely promise shining through Satellite Nights, and many of the songs are positively lovely in terms of musical arrangements. The main problem here is that it seems one theme has been drawn out for far too long.
