"with two steps forward and two steps backward / it's progress, yeah / it's progress..."
There is a lot going on in Brooklyn based Two-Man Giant Squid's heads, a lot of collisions, a lot of sonic sparks flying, the kind of pastiche punk rock / post punk iterations that are born out of a wide array of influences and maybe seeds of disdain, a big push back against pop and rock sameness. The first glimpse of their much anticipated debut studio album is the raw, raucous, absolutely swinging "Progress". 'Swinging' is key here because a lot of heavy post punk / rock doesn't but, instead, just fucking heavy. Two-Man Giant Squid knows how to not only be totally in the pocket but a nano-second ahead of it and then stir a heaping dose of crazy in it, punctuated by anchoring bass / drums, jagged guitar erupting around a feral ID infused vocal persona. The atmosphere is free wheeling and punk venue live.
These guys are also not content to stay in one musical lane. Just listen to the brilliant title track "Abyssal Gigantism" off last years debut EP. It sounds nothing like "Progress" but is cut from the same divergent cloth. In fact, poking into their all their material and you are never NOT engaged and always surprised. I like artists that push envelopes, even rip through them and cannot be defined by one umbrella term, one genre. Two-Man Giant Squid rolls inside askew rock revival and surf punk psychedelia and artful punk meets jangle pop like a fertile amalgam of other sideways artists like Mando Diao, Fat White Family, Hüsker Dü (off the top of my head.).
Listening to the raucous subversion of "Progress", I (forever reason) thought of The Clash and the more feral embodiments of Modest Mouse, again surprising buttons pushed in my brain. I admittedly found out about Two-Man Giant Squid late in the game at a hectic time in my life but am eager to dip into all their stuff. I am also excited for the new album. Fucking Brooklyn, so many amazing indie rock / punk outfits are born in this city.
-Robb Donker Curtius
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://www.instagram.com/twomangiantsquid/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5VKm0Y0YdwuMBi4JJdUqmF
Two-Man Giant Squid is a fast rising Brooklyn band. Their debut 2022 EP was named best EP of the year by popular local site, "Bands Do BK." They are set to release their follow-up studio debut in August. Already scheduled for a sold-out release show at Babys All Right, the new music is positioned to ignite the buzz they've spent the last year cultivating.
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