The Giraffes [PA]

Performer: The Giraffes
Engineer: Jason Martin
Distributor: BMG (distributor)

Notes: The Giraffes: John Rosenthal (bass guitar); Aaron Lazar, Damien Paris, Andrew Totolos. Personnel: Damien Paris (vocals, guitar); John Rosenthal (vocals, piano); Andrew Totolos (vocals, drums); Mike Jansson, Chris DellOlio, Todd Kancar, Frank Callaghan, Joel Hamilton , Aaron Lazar (vocals). Audio Mixer: Joel Hamilton . Recording information: Station Hill Studios, Germantown, NY. You can tell you're not in store for some homogenized, predictable mainstream rock just by looking at the band picture inside the CD booklet of the third full-length release by New York's the Giraffes. Few have the chutzpah to cultivate a Rollie Fingers-esque handlebar mustache in this day and age, but the Giraffes singer, Aaron Lazar, is seen as clear as day modeling one. Additionally, few rock bands nowadays can be described as sounding like they'd fit snuggly in the guitar-heavy grunge/alt rock scene of the early '90s, without coming off like a third rate Nirvana or Pearl Jam rip-off, but the Giraffes manage to somehow pull it off. Add to it whacked-out lyrics and unpredictable musical detours, and you have a hard-to-pinpoint style that morphs from Black Sabbath ("Having Fun"), to the Reverend Horton Heat ("Million $ Man") in the blink of an eye, before recalling such art rockers as Alice Donut ("Wage Earner"). With rock becoming easier and easier to neatly categorize in the early 21st century, it warms the old heart when a band like the Giraffes comes along. ~ Greg Prato Not to be confused with the late-1990s alternative-rock band of the same name, the Giraffes excel at riff-heavy hard rock, often sounding like the results of a summit meeting between Black Sabbath, Motorhead, and the Cult. Though frontman Aaron Lazar often recalls the latter group's Ian Astbury, the Giraffes don't indulge in any mystical/spiritual overtones; instead they pummel out no-frills metal that's as fierce as the Brooklyn group's array of facial hair. "Jr. at His Worst" kicks off the quartet's self-titled disc ruthlessly, with blazing guitar, percolating bass, and tight drumming setting the stage for Lazar's deep vocal dives. "Wage Earner" picks up the pace even further, allowing GIRAFFES to continue in a delirious, roller-coaster fashion. For those who like their heavy rock straight-up with no pretensions whatsoever, this album is the best thing to come down the pike since Queens of the Stone Age.

Entertainment Weekly (No. 829, p.73) - "This stoner-rock stew, spiced with thrashcore and Cream-y boogie, is seriously tasty." - Grade: B plus

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