Customer Reviews

Under the Influence of Giants

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I came across this amazing album by the new L.A. group Under The Influence Of Giants while it was playing in a music store. I was instantly knocked out by this group's ton-of-fun hybrid of pop, rock, disco, and funk. They've got catchy hooks coming out of their ears, perfect pop sensibilities & musicianship, and a totally fab lead singer named Aaron Bruno. This is easily the most finger-snappin', head-bobbin', booty-shakin' album I've heard so far this year. Yes, it's that good. I can't get enough of such groovy tunes like "Mama's Room," "Got Nothing," "Heaven Is Full," "Against All Odds," and "Meaningless Love." Even the album's lone ballad, "Lay Me Down," is perfect pop. UTIOG's self-titled debut is my pick for Best Pop Album Of 2006 (so far). I'm definitely under the influence of Under The Influence Of Giants, and I hope you will be too. They are an awesome band---long may they rock!

This album blends 70's funk-disco/80's pop/90's rock/00's electronica all in one. It is refreshing to hear something that is truly unique that you can dance to or just jam to in your car. They also apparently have another whole ablum called "B.... City" which is unreleased.

Two of the members (singer and guitarist) used to be in a group called "Home Town Hero" (check it out on amazon), which is a totally different style (more rock - a la: Hoobastank). I like that they didn't have to stay pigeon-holed and were able to explore this new sound they now have as UTIOG.

Honestly, I thought I reviewed this album already, but I guess I didn't...well, here we go again!!! I agree with the reviewer that this debut rekkid by UTIOG will, in 10+ years, be viewed as a future classic, and right now, I think it's an easy contender for my top 10 of 2006...possibly best DEBUT album of this year, no doubt!!!

This band is just so dang groovy...an LA counterpart to the Scissor Sisters. Like the Sisters, they take a dance/soul/funk element and mix it with new wave-ish postpunk a-la Franz Ferdinand and killer pop instincts, and come up with a breezy sound all their own, no easy feat.

Just caught the band live, by chance, last night at Hofstra University on Long Island, on a bill with the hard-rocking Damone (whom I mainly went to see), the new wavish, so-so Ima Robot, and the headlining powerpoppers All-American Rejects. I flipped, as I had no idea they were on the bill too, and I would have brought the CD otherwise...BTW, BestBuy has an exclusive 2CD edition with 2 bonus tracks...the awesome hard rocking "On My Own" (which they played in their set), and a cool remix of the groovy "Mama's Room"). Oh, as great as their record is, they might be an even BETTER live band!!! They just KILLED!!! They had energy to burn, Aaron prowled the stage like he was born to do it...sporting stylish threads too like a baby blue tux, and David, the bass player, is my new bass hero...playing left-handed too!!! Drew was manic on the stage, unleashing riffs that were unique and worked in the songs, melodically and rhythmically, and drummer/keyboardist Jamin had the groove going, constantly in the pocket.

Oh, and their songs are amazing, with killer hooks, great singing...Aaron's got this killer falsetto on par with Jake from the Sisters, and awesome stage presence.

Watch this band...seriously...AWESOME, nice guys too, espesh Aaron, hung out with 'em after their set, intelligent and really friendly. I hope UTIOG will be around for a while...we kinda need em around to blow people's minds.

Under The Influence Of Giants, or UTIOG, for short, are a band from Los Angeles, California that perfectly meld seventies disco to eighties dance with current sensibilities. This is no small feat considering that these guys were born after the 1970s. I thought of The Bee Gees, Elton John, Madonna and other artists from the 70's and 80's as I repeatedly listen to their debut gem.

All eleven tracks are worthwhile, but the album as a whole just misses being great. I definitely feel that "In The Clouds" and the first single "Mama's Room" are bona fide hits, but I also found "Meaningless Love" and "Stay Illogical" to be interesting exercises in pop bliss. I've read that UTIOG are often compared to the Scissor Sisters, and I'd have to agree, though both bands come from opposite sides of the United States.

I was just glad to hear this type of music again because it's been years since pop music sounded this infectious. The video for "Mama's Room" is interesting as well. The rest of the tracks on UTIOG's debut solidify this band as one to watch. I hope they are allowed to make another album in a few years.

If you're looking for innovative, look no further than Under The Influence of Giants. Their sound is at once retro and modern. The hooks are stong and the melodies tight. This band has a strong focus that shines through.

All that said, not every song on here is as high a calibur as "Mama's Room" and "In The Clouds" which is no slam against the band. Many times when a band or artist has a unique sound it only works for a few songs, but UTIOG is able to tailor their sound for ballads, R&B and rock. Even a song such as "Ah Ha" which doesn't quite come together as perfectly as "Mama's Room" is able to sustain interest throughout. These guys deserve a lot of credit for making their uniqe soudn work as much as it does.

This is a band to watch in the coming years. I can only see them getting stronger and better over time.

I never really got into funk, or into disco. Well, unless you count early-nineties Eurodance (guilty pleasure) or Pet Shop Boys (entirely guiltless pleasure) as examples of the latter -- but they sound very little like UtIoG for the most part. With few exceptions, music from the seventies makes we want to leave the room very rapidly, and the seventies are clearly the decade that has influenced this band the most.

So why do I love this album? The unmistakably 21st-century flourishes help, to be sure, but I think it's mostly because the songs are just so good that they transcend their parent genres even as they pay big-time homage to them. From the moment I heard "Mama's Room," I was completely helpless. Had to pick up the album, then head on over to iTunes and buy the live-in-the-studio set as well. And while some songs stand out more than others, this debut is good fun all the way through.

My only gripe is that, both on my CD copy and on both available iTunes versions of the standout stomper "In the Clouds," the lyrics have been made "clean" with no announcement to that effect. Seems to me that if the band can come up with a lyric as alliteratively satisfying as "I wanna f--- you in the fire, yeah" (we can only hope they're being metaphorical), it's a shame for the third word to be entirely chopped out. Minor point, but perhaps worth mentioning.

I bought their album today, and it was the best purchase ever! A lot of people say that UTIOG sounds a lot like the BeeGees, and I agree--their sound is smooth and easy to listen to. They also have a remix album (I found that out on iTunes, so I'd go there) and I recommend downloading "Mama's Room (A Capella)"--it's really cool. If you love the BeeGees, you'll love Under The Influence of Giants!

I am a 48 year old woman who bought this album on pure spec after reading its' review in the pages of People magazine. I needed something new to listen to 70,000 times in a row in my car while shuttling about and am not disappointed. Despite the previous comparisons to the Bee Gees, I do not endorse that notion but find that even with the many tempting possibilities to compare, this band has achieved a unique sound. Yes, it's hook heavy but it's not a cheap thrill....I love it and simply cannot get "In the Clouds" and "Lay Me Down" out of my head. As I drive, my fellow motorists are treated to (or totally appalled by) the sight of a gray-haired mama rockin' out to some fantastic new music by a band from whom I expect great things. I've played it for my 17 and 21 year olds and they totally agree.

I saw this band perform once and decided to take a chance and buy their album. It's amazing! The songs are fun. Under the Influence is awesome!

got the cd as a free promotion and wasn't sure what to expect as i had not heard anything from them. from the first beat i was hooked and am now on 3rd straight spin. very cool!