"we will never make it out alive"
I stopped in at Luxx on a Wednesday night in mid-October because the owner, Mishka, told me to see this band called the Giraffes. I am so happy he did.
Opening with a George Thorogood country-blues jam, they immediately took over the club. They continued on, song after song, with pulsing eighties glam-rock, club-like swing-a-billy, and twisted hard rock fused into a juggernaut of sound. More than anything, they played balls-on rock like the Cult. And helping that impression out was the lead singer, Aaron, who is quite possibly a reincarnation of Ian Westbury— a loud, commanding, deep, masculine voice with a presence. He is not asking you to listen, he is telling you.
The Giraffes were electricity on the stage, handled with professionalism and rock-star arrogance. It was a beautiful thing to witness. The songs were tight, the band was tight, the guitar was played with Metallica/Guns N’ Roses verve, and the music pounded your head like brilliant thunder. Each song was so powerful and absorbing that when the music ended, it took me a few seconds to register that it was over, that the spell was broken. These guys are not playing music— they are performing an invocation. My notes peter off about midway through their set because I was so absorbed in their music. I finally managed to write "Wow" at the end.
Their CD, Helping You Help Yourself, is a tour-de-force of rock. "It’s You I Pity" is a punk-influenced tirade with a blistering chorus. "Manchester United" is an infectious, rolling, bass-heavy Cult study that explodes wonderfully. "Million Dollar Man" is blues-house rock with early Van-Halen splintering guitars and machine-gun drums, with sex stuck in the middle. "Looting in the A.M." is a funky number with a Rage feel. "I’ll Be Your Daddy" is exactly what you would expect it to be— a nasty, dirty, testosterone-driven fest. "After The Orgy" is a moody, sparse, end-of-the-night/looking-at-the-dawn ditty with ghostly vocals. This is a rock and roll band. A great rock and roll band.
Of course, the CD cannot do justice to having the Giraffes scream in your face at a club, but it is a good introduction. And that’s fine with them. As their guitarist, Damien, told me after the Luxx gig, "A show should never sound like a CD." Good for them. Great for you if you catch them live.
The Giraffes will continue touring through the winter and spring. They are working on a compilation CD of Brooklyn bands that "should be heard, but aren’t getting the love." They will release a new CD of their own next year sometime.