Residing in the Keystone State but with roots in the fertile Athens, GA scene, Giant Day is Derek Almstead, he of The Olivia Tremor Control, of Montreal, Elf Power, and The Glands, and Emily Growden, she of Faster Circuits and Marshmallow Coast. The duo’s second album is Alarm, a generous 14-track set that offers a solid blend of psychedelia, synth pop, contempo indie, and even flashes of prog. It’s out on vinyl (black or limited evergreen) on October 10 from The Elephant 6 Recording Co.
Alarm comes hot on the heels of Giant Day’s debut long-player Glass Narcissus, which was released on August 23, 2024, also on vinyl and also by Elephant 6. In fact, Giant Day delivered the first new recording by an official Elephant 6 band in a decade and a half. Augmenting this significance is how both the debut and this follow-up are tangibly but subtly connected to the psychedelic sound that defines their label.
That is, Giant Day’s sound is distinctive in the grand Elephant 6 scheme of things. The songs have been impacted by the darkness and desperation of our current era, but overall, the mood is anxious rather than gloomy or despairing. Much of the record is quite danceable, including the succinct opener “Out of Hand,” which is also one of the record’s more forthrightly rock-oriented tracks.
“Golden Times” builds up gradually and is impressively layered in its psychedelic comportment, while “Without Warning” is more jagged and infused with guitar haze. “Healthier Families Virginia” shifts into a poppier mode as it radiates an Anglo vibe, and after the intriguing instrumental fragment “Paoli,” the record shifts into the groove zone established on their debut with “King of Ghosts,” combining new wavy bustle harkening back to their Athens predecessors The B-52s with a druggy aura Broadcast fans might dig.
“Back to the Corner” slows it down, and “Spite 28” raises the weirdness level while maintaining the pop angle, with Growden delivering another lead vocal with confidence. With “Think Carefully,” Almstead takes a lead vocal turn before handing the mic back to Growden for the high-energy “Devil Dog.”
Next are the more relaxed pop pleasures of “Scowl at Me” and “New Hollow.” In Alarm’s penultimate spot is “My Warm Smile,” a slow drift that merges an ’80s VHS soundtrack feel with chirping birds and a blissed-out chant from Almstead. “Good Neighbor” kicks it into a higher body moving gear for the close. Giant Day’s second album flows well and is ultimately a grower that matches the worthiness of their debut.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
A-
