Customer Reviews

Industry Giants (Dig)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For 'Industry Giants,' the original lineup returns in full for the first time since 1998's "Head Trip in Every Key." And while I won't place this ahead of my still-favorite "In the Valley of Dying Stars," it is definitely a solid comeback effort, especially for a group that has not recorded together in over a decade.

Some highlights - "Try," "Cheap Poltergeists," "Everything'll Be Made Alright," and "Live and Breathe." A couple of misses come in "Ready to Go" which seems to suffer from a lack of enthusiasm considering the title. And "5 Minutes Ahead" is a change in style (for the worst in my opinion).

If you're a Superdrag fan, buy this. There is no reason not to. If you aren't a fan, it's not too late. Also check out the single/video "Aspartame" on one of their websites. Overall, "Giants" leaves the listener with high hopes for a continued Superdrag career.

ive been waiting forever for a new superdrag record, and it didnt dissappint, its new superdrag meets old superdrag meets the riverdales, and its awesome. I'd disagree with one commenter who didnt like 5 minutes ahead of the chaos, any fan of screaching weasel or the riverdales, will love this song, it takes u back to some old school punk style that superdrag executed better than the riverdales ever could. from start to finish the record is great and after the long wait superdrag sure as hell doesnt dissapoint. look out for jeremy enigk's new record in may. if u never heard sunny day real estate or the fire theft be sure to check them out as well as nada surf and the new chris walla record. now all we need is for no knife to offically get back together and make records again. back to superdrag, i request a superdrag/nada surf nationwide tour immediately.

As a huge Superdrag fan since 1995 of course I picked this up the day of release - and having been to the reunion shows and a recent show in Nashville featuring a lot of these tracks I knew what to expect. If you go into this album expecting it to be a continuation on their monumental albums (all four LP's) then you might be disappointed. The band is older and as it has been, well, a long time since Last Call For Vitriol came out, it doesn't just pick up where that amazing record left off. But, if you come into this album just wanting to hear more from Superdrag you will be more than pleased. Any Superdrag fan needs this album and the recent tribute album (A Tribute To Superdrag). So it boils down to this - if you ever loved Superdrag come on, you have to get this album. I would also recommend picking up John Davis' solo album "Arigato!" just for the track "Tell Me I'm Not Free" which sounds like classic Superdrag and the aforementioned tribute album (A Tribute To Superdrag). All in all, those three will keep you happy and partying like it was the 90's again. Just be thankful they are back together - and go to a show! I promise they will play enough old stuff to make it all worth it - and you might be surprised by how good the new stuff is!

I would say this album ranks right up their with their best work, such as "In The Valley of Dying Stars" and "Regretfully Yours." Mind you I wouldn't want to order Superdrag's output as to which is the best (because they're all pretty good) but this CD has definitely quickly become one of my favorites. I think it is a bit better than "Last Call For Vitriol" which I believe was the album previous to this one (released right before John Davis decided to try a solo career for a few years.) Listening to some of the lyrics I think "Industry Giants" is relevant to what is going on in the world today ("I want peace and safety for the kids in Kandahar"), but also can be enjoyed without noticing references to current events.

I am also impressed that John Davis (I am assuming he wrote most of these lyrics) has been able to express some of (what I believe are his) new-found religious convictions without losing any of the Superdrag edginess. In fact, on this album that edginess seems to have been cranked at least five-fold... And the lyrics have what I would call a definite gothic feel to them. So the CD seems to have religion thrown into it perhaps a bit more than previous CDs, but without sounding sickeningly sweet when addressing the topic (which is how a lot of religious-oriented pop or rock seems to me.)

Also it is nice to have the dude with the `fro back in the band from the "Regretfully Yours" era (not sure what his name is.) I think it's him singing on some of the songs where the gravelly, guttural voice takes over--which is something I didn't like at first but which later grew on me. It's almost like it could be the voice of the God or the Universe (perhaps in a very different sound quality from what we would expect) transposing itself occasionally into the album as the meaning of the lyrics begin to take shape. Anyway, may sound dumb to describe it that way, but it is a nice effect to have such a strange-sounding alternate vocalist occasionally appear like that, and really contributes to the overall artistic impact of the album.

I think the album title might be a reference to the "stupidity" of the non-alternative masses (people who like Britney S. & Jessica S., for example) who ignore a great band like Superdrag in the same manner that they usually miss seeing ants on the ground. It reminds me of the band A-ha who are ubiquitously known for their hit "Take On Me" but none of their subsequent (and continuing) output has been appreciated. Ah, the fickleness and ignorance of the masses! (since in my experience some of the best bands don't necessarily achieve a ton of popularity.) So I guess you could say Industry Giants is yet additional awesome underground rock courtesy of Superdrag... Hope you enjoy the CD!

Boy, I think my headline says it all. It's an amazing album and there isn't a song on it I have the slightest of reservations about. "Aspartame" and "Live And Breathe" are some of the best songs they've ever recorded. "Deathblow To Your Pride" is so powerful and real, you might just end up dead and pride-less. As another reviewer said, it isn't so much a continuation of where they left off, as it's an alternate universe Superdrag, taking an un-travelled fork in the road traveled years ago.

It's 1996, 2009 and every year in between, before and after. It's a rock and roll adventure. It's like watching Lost with your ears. Well, no, it's not. I just wanted to say that.

This is a great album! The first 4 tracks are among the strongest songs they've written thus far. It's right next to In the Valley of Dying Stars as one of my two favorite Superdrag records. Lets hope they make another.

I am a huge fan of superdrag and love all their stuff....except this piece of garbage. "Slow to Anger" is a great song but the rest of the album fails to deliver the kind of music they are capable of producing. Pick up any other superdrag album besides this and you'll be a happy camper. this should be on the bottom of your list. i think when John Davis stopped drugs and found Jesus....he lost his abilty to create great music. So sad.

Superdrag's "Headtrip In Every Key" CD was probably my favorite release by them with songs like "Do the Vampire" and such, so I should have listened when reviewers said this CD is nothing like that - they were right. Even though it has the same lineup as far as band members go, the sound is a lot heavier and not as poppy. That's not necessarily a bad thing, just not my cup of tea. If you're looking for "Headtrip" part two, this CD ain't gonna do it. "Giants" does have its hooks, don't get me wrong - and the wall of guitars is still there - it's just made of bigger bricks.

I've heard high school bands make better, more enthusiastic music than this. I've been a fan of Superdrag for a long time, and this album feels like it was a hassle to make. This is the same lineup that made "Headtrip in Every Key" yet there doesn't seem to be any of the same fire on this album. I guess drugs did make a difference in the nineties. I'm so tired of buying a CD just because I'm a fan of a group that made an album I liked over ten years ago. Faith doesn't necessarily apply to music, does it? "In the Valley of Dying Stars" was an appropriate name all those years ago. Hang it up, it's been sussed out already.

It's been a decade since Superdrag's original line-up released any recording. The recent years' reunion and appetizing rarities release were a very promising sign. This used to be one of the freshest, most interesting rock bands active.

Whatever happened with this album? Why do all reunion albums of legendary bands have to blow? (Big Star comes in mind as the latest installation...)

I think anybody who liked anything about this band will be utterly disappointed. This isn't coming from an old fan that is bitter about his band evolving and experimenting (e.g. frustrated Radiohead fans, who dismiss all post-OK Computer albums for not being "rock"). This is not the case. It's not the lack of the Beatlesque/Dino Jr/MBV vibe I'm complaining about here.

Industry Giants presents, at times, more of the same, yet passionless and recycled ("Slow To Anger" serving as an updated "Slot Machine", "I Only Want A Place I Can Stay" as a shameless mash up between "Sold You An Alibi" And "Relocate My Satellites"). At other times it introduces embarrassing attempts at contemporary adult punk. Call it artistic exploration, call it evolving, call it what you will. It's embarrassing and downright annoying (see "5 Minutes Ahead of the Chaos", "Cheap Poltergeists", "You're Alive".)
Tom Pappas' contributions make Mic Harrison and Sam Powers' efforts on 2002's mediocre Last Call For Vitriol shine as bright as the northern star.

The first thing that most people will notice is the odd altering in John Davis' voice. What used to be the ringing, slightly nasal and extremely expressive pitch, turns, on many songs into an aggressive, straining roar. This is Davis on auto-pilot "tough rocker" mode, perhaps to cover up for preachy, guilt-driven religious lyrics that I hoped would stay out of the Superdrag catalogue (see "Filthy and Afraid").
This is also evident on his last solo effort, the uninspired "Arigato".

The man did not lose his voice, however - in some cases he switches his voice from "old John" to "new John" within the sphere of one song ("Deathblow To Your Pride"). This point brings us on to the positive point of this review - "Live and Breath".

"Live and Breath" is the only remarkable effort on this waste of plastic. It is, in fact, a song that ranks up with the group's best. A sonicly intense slow-burner, backed with a shoegazey wall of guitars and a brilliant vocal performance by John. His expressive voice ringing out like an extra-heartfelt Carl Wilson, dissonant guitar lines floating behind it, and a hypnotic rythmic backbone - pure bliss.

This song alone is not worth buying this album. Just download it and hit repeat 11 times.
It's a worthy score to play during Superdrag's funeral. A lot more than Industry Giants is.

For people getting into this band now - head straight for the first 3 albums, both EPs, and the rarities compilation. Then download "Feeling Like I Do" & "Her Melancholy Tune" off of Vitriol and "Live and Breath" off of this mess, and you're good to go.