Giant Steps are a three-piece from Reading who ironically do straight, soul-inflected rock, with hooky melodies and “passionate” vocals where you can hear all the words. It’s not innovative or experimental and it’s not meant to be. It’s accessible, unpretentious and workmanlike in the sense of musicians toiling hard to achieve the effect they want, getting stuck in and going for it with gritty determination.
This is r’n’b – the 60s variety – meets the energy and bluster of rock’n’roll. The Jam did this sort of thing at the start and towards the end of their career.
Giant Steps, like the Jam, have three members and, like a lot of those pub rock, punk and mod revival-era bands of the late 70s, they invoke great r’n’b artists – a lot – as though by doing so they’ll absorb some of the luster of great soul. They’re being touted as “Kings of Leon meet the Impressions” and “Stevie Wonder meets the Stones”. Those are pretty big steps.
Also impressive: they’ve just finished recording at the Motor Museum studio in Liverpool with producer Mike Crossey, whose CV includes work by Arctic Monkeys, Foals, Razorlight and the Kooks.
Giant Steps are:
James Girdler (guitar, vocals)
Daniel Stargatt (bass)
Daniel Webb (drums)
www.thegiantstepsmusic.com
www.myspace.com/giantstepsmusic
