Album Review: Two-Man Giant Squid - Intro to Basement

The notion of personal taste should be very much like this wonderous and deeply mysterious universe; ever-expanding and shifting as the agents of change take effect. 

It should be, but it isn't. 

Such are the limitations of the human brain, our tastes in subjective matters are often crystalised at key points in our life; rarely shifting. Evolution rewarded those could survive, not those who expanded their horizons and our brains are not wired much beyond that. Music taste is no different. We may see subtle changes over time, but research has indicated that 14 is the average age where our tastes are formed. We also tend to be drawn to personalities that we identify with. That recognition of patterns and structures that is often shared by the music we love is what keeps us coming back for more. 

Hailing from Brooklyn in New York, Two-Man Giant Squid make lucid and tight Indie Rock that flicks the switch in whatever part of my brain deals with such things. Intially starting as a solo project for frontman  Mitch Vinokur, they soon grew into the full band that they've now become. The band have developed a reputation for their strong live show and the challenge was to replicate that on new album Intro To Basement; it's a challenge that Two-Man Giant Squid sound up for.

Opener 'The Opposite' sets out their stall from the get go. A three-note bass riff heralds the song's arrival with drums following suit. The guitar enters and it's hopeful in it's tone; a build up that creates a sense of anticipation. The vocals enter sounding like a slightly jaded preacher on a New York street corner. The lyrics find him in a pensive state, perhaps trying to offer advice to a younger audience:

Pain is not the answer , neither is the opposite

Drugs are not the answer and neither is the opposite.

A tickle of synth enters the mix before the chorus kicks in and you can hear Vinokur chanelling his inner James Murphy as his vocal get more frantic. The song keeps building into a frenzied rush with more guitar lines added - it should just make you want to dance - before dismantling and going back to the bare bones of minimal bass and drum. 

'Junkie Talk' kicks in with a classic drum beat that is soon joined with a throbbing post-punk bassline that recalls early Joy Division. Stabs of guitar sneak their way into the gaps and the vocals enter with a sense of urgency. Again it seems like the lyrics are aimed at someone as Vinokur decrys a change of demeanor when entering into a drug deal.

Fix your mind on something else.

The way you're talking, you're not quite yourself.

There's a shift of tempo and you can hear the amps being ramped up as the desperation to help takes hold. There's a rallying cry element to this track that I'm drawn to and it's akin to Parquet Courts at their most fiery.

                                            

The band seem to be at their most effective when they let rip and an undoubted highlight of the album is the sensational 'No End In Sight'. It comes staight out the blocks with no prolonged build up and draws you in showing a side of the band not heard until this point. There's an almost post-hardcore style intensity to this and it brings out the beast in Vinokur's voice; the ferocity of his delivery matching the urgency of the backing. The song was written as a response to synth player Sam freaking out about turning the grand old age of 30 and how there is plenty of life yet to give. The guitars sound huge as the track explodes into a cavalcade of noise that elevates the song to a scintallsting climax.

Further evidence comes in the shape of former single 'Progress' which has an immediacy that is difficult to ignore. The song is a warning not to be taken in by salesmanship that promises steady improvement and the lyrics have their tongue very firmly in their cheek. Just like 'No End In Sight', it's clear that this will go down well in a live setting, which is very much the intention.

Despite this, the softer moments on the album are not to be slept on. Another previous single 'Cold Fingers' has become a fan favourite and is often used to break up the frenetic energy of their more boisterous numbers. The guitar intro is simple, but it's all that is needed to produce a track that resonates on more than one level. The dreamy blend of soothing guitars and a tranquil layered synth compliment each other beautifully. Vinokur puts in his finest vocal performance on Intro to Basements, sounding like a young Robert Smith pushing the limits of his range to breaking point. As if this song couldn't get any better, guitarist Robbie provides a glorious, spine-tingling solo that add an extra touch of class.

Closer 'Dogs' starts in a similar vein, with a wistful strum that could easily be on Pavement's Brighten The Corners. It's a thoughful track that ponders how a human would look at their life if they had the life expectancy of a dog - growing older quicker, with less time to think themselves out of following their own path with lyrics that spell out the existential quandry:

Don't you think that dogs have it made now, 

did the math and I want the same.

Sit and wait underneath the pantry, 

and I wait for you to call my name. 

What follows is a masterclass in the spiralling exit of a great indie rock album. You can hear and feel the build up, you know it's coming and yet it still hits in all the right places. You could call it the Rock equivalent of an EDM 'drop' and that wouldn't be too far from the truth. A blistering blend of dynamic guitars, icey synth and a perfectly in-sync rhytym section,  it leads to what is a suitably incendiary crescendo.

I've never subscribed to the notion that familiarity breeds contempt, more that it provides comfort and reliability. There's nothing comfortable about Intro To Basement, but it does play to Two-Man Giant Squid's considerable strengths as a live band; capturing their essence in the process. A short but sweet album, the rewards are plentiful and you'll want to come back for more time and time again.

 You can follow and engage with Two-Man Giant Squid on Instagram. They're also on Threads, but I have no idea how to link that.