Customer Reviews

Giant Bear

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The name Giant Bear strangely suits this Nashville-based combo. This self-titled release stands clearly on its own, a rich, roots-infused romp that benefits from a variety of instruments--banjo, horns, accordion, electric, acoustic, and pedal steel guitars, great bass and percussion, and the cello. It's the latter that one notices at once, something different yet melding in seamlessly. (I suppose one could say there is always room for cello.)

Then there are the great vocals, both the stirring leads vocals and the strong harmonies that underpin and accent the leads. With a trio of singers, Giant Bear can bring something new to each song, keeping the sound fresh and adding unexpected flourishes.

It's easy to like the rocking numbers, but the slower, stranger tunes yield their own pleasure from repeated listening. The usual fare of murder, mayhem, magic, mystery, and love gone wrong never sounded so inviting.

A quick glance to see what I could find out about Giant Bear revealed that most folks who comment on their sound like to compare this with other groups. Even Frank Zappa's name is thrown about. Though it's tempting to join in this sort of musical version of "Twister" and offer that "Giant Bear comes across like an amalgam of Drive-by Truckers and Cowboy Junkies," such comparisons miss the point.

This album has some great guests on it...Luther Dickinson from the North Mississippi Allstars, keyboard great Rick Steff fresh off his tour with Cat Power and Scotty Gerardy who is a sax phenom from Shreveport, LA band Dirtfoot.

Giant Bear is a super talented band from Memphis, TN - playing multiple instruments and writing insightful but fun lyrics. Don't miss out on this great recording!