Can, Neu!, Faust, Amon Düul, Kraftwerk, Black Flag, Kyuss, My Bloody Valentine, Raymond Scott, Carl Stalling, The Verve, Swans, Sonic Youth, The Stooges, stuff
Sounds Like
The Giant Brain sound like Krautrock as played by Detroiters. What if the Stooges played Guru Guru covers? Or if BMWs were built by the UAW?
Some news from the studio. We have a new member, Eric Hogemeyer. Playing live drums and adding his computing prowess.
Damon Che from Don Caballero and Thee Speaking Canaries adds his live drumming genius to two new songs. Amazing performance.
you can purchase the full length CD at Small Stone's website, or at iTunes.
read these reviews: Reviews for Thorn of Thrones:
ALLMUSIC REVIEW LINK
Don't be fooled by its oddly "black metal" title; Thorn of Thrones doesn't see Giant Brain swapping the predominant Kraut rock influences found on their fine 2007 debut, Plume, for cacophonous Satan worship on this, their second long-player for Small Stone. Not even close, actually, and, if anything, charter bandmembers Andy Sutton (bass, programming, keyboards), Philip Durr (guitars, effects, drums, vocals), and Al Sutton (loops, programming), sound even more committed to their novel musical experiments than before -- just retaining enough of their classic rock backgrounds (with Five Horse Johnson, Don Caballero, and Big Chief) to produce notably un-robotic Kraut rock. Take opening number "Resentful Relentless," for example: its name may smack of Kraftwerk's "Europe Endless," but its driving analog drumbeat, stinging guitar leads, and warm Hammond organs have more in common with Deep Purple's "Highway Star." So too does the ensuing hypno-rocker "Gooser," but other songs engage in more ethereal and atmospheric pursuits, including the dreamy sway of "Empyrian" (featuring rare vocals) and "Drowner," the immersive electronics of "Asian Love Song What?" and "Space Mannequin," or the Cinemascope soundtrack snippets of "Phoner," "Water-Bored," and the self-explanatory "This is Where the Robot Escapes His Evil Captor, Finds Raygun, Plots Revenge." Because of their compositional variety and exploratory daring, it's fair to assert that these tracks represent Giant Brain's true coming of age as a proper band, instead of some glorified side project, while proving that one need not ride on the actual Autobahn to feel the rhythm of its curves (and living in the Motor City probably helps).
THE OBELESK REVIEW LINK Look at the Big Brain on Detroit
C90. 90 also happens to be their label catalogue number. Coincidence? Yeah, probably not.When I say it’s hard to classify Detroit experimentalists Giant Brain’s new album, Thorn of Thrones (Small Stone), understand it is a compliment, because the band’s obvious intention is to be more than one thing at one time. Complexity is a virtue, and if their electronically-influenced stoner/Kraut groove is anything, it is that; drawing on classic ’70s prog as much as heavily distorted modern power riffing (you can hear it on the charmingly and cumbersomely titled “This is Where the Robot Escapes His Evil Captor, Finds Raygun, Plots Revenge”), their sound could put off a lot of heads who either can’t get past the inorganic sound of programmed beats (there are natural drums as well) or who are just unwilling to dig through the band’s sonic puzzle and identify the familiarities beneath, but if we all didn’t have to work once in a while, boundaries would never get pushed.
The mostly instrumental outfit could easily be put off as a vanity project from Al Sutton, producer for the likes of avant-mathematicians Don Caballero and Small Stone mainstays Five Horse Johnson, but together with his brother Andy (who handles the programming and bass), former Big Chief guitarist Phil Dürr and drummer, etc., Eric Hoegemeyer (Deep See Sound System), Sutton taps into a level of versatility that goes beyond mere showing off. The Porcupine Tree-esque acoustic/electric interplay of “Empyrian” — think In Absentia-era — and the straightforward driving riff that propels the eight-minute-long “Gooser” gives the impression that rather than jam out parts and see what happens, Giant Brain pieces begin with specific sound ideas and are fleshed out from there. Little wonder Andy is also listed as responsible for “concepts.”
Thorn of Thrones is unlikely to leave anyone who hears it without an opinion one way or the other, since even if one can’t find something in the dancey “Space Mannequin” that you can’t relate to, it’s undeniable that the song and indeed the rest of the album boasts enough personality to warrant a reaction positive or negative. Though the tracks at times feel more like part collections or maybe science experiments that got out of hand than actual songs, Giant Brain are nonetheless fostering a unique approach to classic prog and Kraut rock. Considering all the bands out there content to retrofy and rehash what’s been done a thousand times before, any respect they get is well earned.
That doesn’t mean, however, that I’ll be listening to Thorn of Thrones while driving around the valley with the windows open and the stereo turned up. More of an intellectual experience, Giant Brain’s music demands a careful ear and at very least several listens before a decisive verdict is rendered. I might like to see them focus more on cohesive songcraft next time, and if they were to congeal around a particular sound, to do so around that of closer “Drowner” — led by acoustics with subtle keys in the background — but, with improvisation a big part of their sound, they’re likelier to thrust themselves further into their own sonic multi-directionalism. So be it.
STONERROCK.COM REVIEW
Thorn of Thrones? Up until about five minutes ago, I could've sworn the second album by Giant Brain was called Throne of Thorns. It makes more sense, albeit in a black metal sort of way.
But hell, this could've been called Diaper of Thorns and I still would've gotten a kick out of it. Like debut Plume, this nine track album is a damn near note-perfect mixture of Kraut rock and stoner rock, a record that thumps along with a consistent, machine-like rhythm but still manages to keep an earthy feel. Tracks like opener “Relentful Relentless,” “Gooser,” and “Space Mannequin” border on techno, with their surplus of programmed beats and assorted audio effects, but the interesting thing is how the band manages to use this seemingly restrictive style as the backdrop for improvisational jams. If anything, being shoehorned into a lockstep groove opens the band up.
What's most appealing about Thorn of Thrones is how Giant Brain tweaks the conventional but never so much as to lose its immediate appeal. Strip away all the computer-driven layering and you still have a band that knows the ins and outs of a good song or two. Recommended.
- John Pegoraro
Thorn of Thrones will surprise fans of Giant Brain's earlier work. While it retains the Teuto-American synergy, those Detroit-cum-Dortmund freak-out elements of 'Plume,' it is a darker, more dynamic record than its older brother. Even the lighter moments disguise a cynicism that wasn't present on the first album, as exemplified by the lone GB song to ever feature lyrics, 'Empyrian.' It may seem airy at first, but the lyrics are any-thing but... Some have attributed this new-found skepticism and doubt to the current state of the world, and specifically the current state of disarray in the Motor City. We here at Small Stone wouldn't know about that, but we feel that regardlessly, the sky will be blue, the flowers will bloom, and Giant Brainmakes great records.
Do you like soupy, dark, psychedelic, Krautrock inspired instrumentals? Do you define a good night as turning out all the lights, burning some candles (and whatever else you have laying around), and surrendering the reigns of your mind over to the music? THEN BUY THIS!
Reviews for Plume:
EvilNeedles.com
For fans of: Peter Frampton does ambient trance, Kraftwerk, the Mars Volta
Here's what it is: So Moby is off the Jesus kick, he's started doing acid with the kids in the neighborhood and they're doing guitar heavy trance versions of old Peter Frampton and Boston songs. Just kidding, this is Giant Brain and they like guitar chops. They also like repetitive techno, and possibly disco. These five instrumentals (two of which break the 10 minute mark) are a potent blend of thick guitar riffage and spacey synthesizers. While rocking this disc you don't know if you should play air guitar or chase the little green men who stole your rainbow. I chose the former.
Patricia Valery
May 1st, 2007
www.evilneedles.com
Deaf Sparrow...
From the future and back. This is a really nifty bridge connecting today’s pathetic and doomed present with a brighter and certainly groovier future. Funny enough, this future sounds organic and even refurbished to a degree. Even the robotic vocals in opener “Ausgesetz” sound so approachable you can obviate them if they only cause annoyance. Plus, they are only present for a few seconds, that’s it. Funny also how even without C3PO speaking the circular bassline, the insisting and almost squarish drums and that wobbly guitar, which eternally solos in a singular wave length, makes of this record the perfect piece for your morning jog.
Listening to Plume I think about Kraftwerk, not because Detroit based Giant Brain is a deadpan electronic combo but because they craft futuristic rock with the most rudimentary of elements. I see no reason why something like this couldn’t have been crafted twenty-five years ago. Sure, the end of “Ausgesetz” comes with the inclusion of one of those deaf-sounding thumps courtesy of any DJ from London to Ibiza and then back. But no worries, that’s this trio’s edge, their ability to connect the dots, to make of their natural instrumentation the stuff of the future. “Looper” starts organic, with a single-note guitar and the most basic of drumbeats reminisces of an enlightened Interpol had the New Yorkers forgotten about Joy Division and had opted for embracing the roomiest kraut rock acts.
Giant Brain currently resides in stoner castle Small Stone so we couldn’t possibly finish this meager review without mentioning one more sub genre that this combo encapsulates; stoner rock. Yes, it is true, where the genre seems too entrenched in guitar traditionalisms, lower tunings and an idiotical obsession with the green leaf Giant Brain captures that same spirit and avoids sounding stoned, or read, almost mongoloid-like. The songs extend for near no end, “Looper” goes over the ten minute mark and while the rocking guitar solo stands nicely along that ringing sound and the monotone drums it still comes off as near futuristic, well-polished, almost metallic, and stoner by default. At this point we are looking forward to this band’s true capabilities.
Hansel
April 2nd, 2007
www.deafsparrow.com
3:16 Productions
Detroit muscle rock meets German electronic rock in an epic battle on PLUME, a luxurious five-track escape administered by Giant Brain. The brainchild of Detroit scenesters that include the producers of some of Small Stones' most ornery acts and the ex-guitarist from Big Chief, this liberating release is laden with elegant grooves, trippy robotic beats, and a rigid yet flowing kind of rave DJ meets rock band aura that dudes that engineer Volkswagons and hit up Oktoberfest can normally fathom. But don't fret, there's enough material for your Hawkwind and desert rock side to rock out to.
Mike SOS
March 7th, 2007
www.316productions.com
Classic Rock Magazine (UK)
Phil Durr, the guitarist from Detroit's finest blaxploitation soundtrack revivalists Big Chief, teams up here with a couple of mad scientists, and together they concoct the first electro-stoner rock band. Looped fuzz-groove guitars click and clack around glitchy drum machines and various chirpy synths to create a swirling soundscape of compellingly gritty hypno-jams. In the right light (murky, purple) itâ€--s masterfully concocted headphone rock, but squint a little, and it might remind you of one of those guitar-shredder instrumental albums that your dorky older brother used to play relentlessly back in the late 80s. Use your illusion on this one.
Sleazegrinder
February 27th, 2007
www.classicrockmagazine.com
Penny Black Music (UK)
Detroit band Giant Brain is all about the krautrock. The five instrumental songs on the trioâ€--s debut album 'Plume' bear all the hallmarks of repeat listening to â€--motorik†outfits like Kraftwerk, Neu and Harmonia. They also share an uncanny resemblance to other krautrock-fixated outfits like Circle and its offshoot Pharoah Overload - lead track 'Ausgesetzt' would have been right at home on the formerâ€--s 'Andexelt'.
Fortunately for fans of this genre, Giant Brain has more than the right influences; a finely honed sense of dynamics keeps the listener entranced through adrenalized guitar riffing, distorted drones, oddball loops and the titanic wigout of the finale of 'Krauter'.
Band member Al Sutton has done production, engineering and mixing work for a variety of acts (indie groups the Laughing Hyenas, Don Caballero, Thornetta Davis, the Detroit Cobras and Big Chief, while major label stars like Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow have all called on his services at one time or another) and heâ€--s given the album a powerful, layered sound. Ex-big chief guitarist Phillip Durr keeps things from sounding too mechanical with an expert handle on sustain and volume control. Alâ€--s brother Andy rounds out the band, providing most of the bass while a handful of Detroit musos guest on drums, varying organs, a bit of guitar.
'Plume' is a gripping example of psychedelic motor rock, and another very bright light in the Small Stone labelâ€--s expansion from its stoner rock origins.
Andrew Carver
March, 2007
www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk
Hell Ride Music
Giant Brain's 'Plume' is a left-handed hook out of the blue from a label that specializes in the finest of stoner/Detroit metal, from Valis to Novadriver to Sasquatch. Once you give it a listen, however, the connection may be a bit more clear. The moral of the story is that when a label is known for producing quality discs, it's worth your time to check out everything they do, 'cause they may have an ace up their sleeve that you don't know about.
'Plume' may be off-putting at first, recalling as it does a certain vein of 70s Krautrock, i.e. the mechano-trance motorik of Neu! and Kraftwerk and the plain ole' trance of Can at their most repetitive. Mix in a bit of trip hop and more recent groups like (early) Pharoah Overlord and you're close. The songs, which are 99% instrumental and blend together, typically start with a simple guitar or electronic figure which is soon augmented by more electronic effects and some garage-bang drums and driving bass. This will slowly morph and progress from one phase to another, which can be either more or less effective, depending on your preferences. At it's best it's a an adrenalized soundtrack for an android road race, and at its worst it's.....well....kind of dull. In all cases, however, Phil Durr (ex-Big Chief) contributes beautiful, psychedelic guitar solos that always save the day. To these ears the guitar is what really ties it to other label releases.
With albums like this one and the recently-released disc by Slot, Small Stone have shown that they can expand their sound without sacrificing quality. God bless 'em! Their sense of adventure is our gain.
Kevin McHugh
March 19th, 2007
www.hellridemusic.com
All Music Guide
It makes sense that a trio from Detroit would wish to re-create the constant-forward-momentum vibe of Neu!'s Motorik rock and Kraftwerk's Autobahn, given how both were so inspired by the trance-state engendered by highway hypnosis. Given Detroit's place as one of the key cities of American metal and garage rock, however, it's equally commonsensical that Giant Brain rough up their take on vintage Krautrock with heavy guitar riffs and muscular drumming more akin to vintage Stooges. The five lengthy tracks on Plume unfurl slowly -- "Looper" and "Krauter" alone account for 30-plus minutes of the album's running time -- but implacably, built on riffs that develop into invitingly hypnotic drones. Plume isn't at all the usual fare for the Small Stone label, which usually deals in full-on stoner metal, but it's an intriguing diversion that bodes well for future cross-cultural experiments as more of the stoner metal audience discovers the lysergic possibilities of vintage Krautrock.
Stewart Mason
March 9th, 2007
www.allmusic.com
The Cutting Edge
Plume is like a cup of cold water in the face. Even for us open-minded types this was a reach but the more you play it, the warmer it gets. The best way to describe the CDs five tracks is fuzzed-out electronic rock with a European flare. Detroit guitarist Phil Dürr combines talents with brothers Andy (bass) and Al Sutton (loops and knobs) to create a spaced-out set of jams that ebb and flow from right speaker to left. The occasional rhythmic patter picks up when a drummer sits in on the set. The seven-minute “Ausgesetzt” gets the whole thing going with a hypnotic beat and a sea of guitar texture. At first it’s partially obscured in the overall layering and then brought in to focus with forced volume. Both “Looper” and “Krauter” are mind-altering stoner soundscapes - both clocking in at way over ten minutes (“Krauter” actually goes for 19-minutes). A number of instrument sounds including keyboards and piano find their way into the mind-numbing drones setting a pulsating bed for the guitar to slice its way through. The build is worth the wait so hang in there to the end for a whirlwind ride of feedback and all out six-string chaos. The organ spattered “Die Festzeit” rises from the garage floor with a screeching eclectic nature while the shorter “Der Amerikanische Albtraum” throws down an early Ministry-vibe with the drum setting pace leaving just enough room for the funky guitars to grind out spliff stained notes.
Todd K. Smith
February, 19th 2007 (Issue 63)
www.thecutting-edge.net
High Bias
How’s this for multi-cultural: Detroit power rock and German psychedelic mantra made sweet, sweet love and the result is this bouncing baby buntin’. Motor city guitarist Phil Dürr (ex-Big Chief) joins in sweaty matrimony with local heroes the Sutton brothers (producer/engineer/mixer to the stars Al and bassist/electronicist Andy) for Plume, a magnificent journey into the erotic possibilities of feedback, motorik and lots of guitar rifferama. On “Looper,” “Ausgesetzt” and the mind-boggling epic “Krauter,” the Suttons and several guest drummers erect rock-solid foundations of rhythm, on which Dürr swings his axe in brilliant excess. Plume is music that revels in little more than its own sensual gratification. And that’s enough.
Michael Toland
February 12th, 2006
http://community.livejournal.com/highbias
StonerRock.com
Krautrock from Small Stone Records? What in God's name is going on here? I thought the Detroit label was the home for classic rock and heavy riffs, not trance-like beats and hypnotic grooves.
Actually, it's not that strange. After all, the label's also the home to Perplexa, another band that flirts with the same style of music, and Detroit is commonly referred to as the Motor City. While labelmates like Sasquatch and The Glasspack bring to mind muscle cars tearin' ass down the highway, the sound of Giant Brain is more akin to the motor purring under the hood. Push the engine as hard as you can - it'll get louder but it'll never falter.
Such is the case with Plume. The album's five songs start with a basic premise and then flow from there. There's a progression, but not in the verse-chorus-verse sense. The dynamics come from the band – Andy and Al Sutton, along with former Big Chief lead guitarist Philip Dürr – layering each track's central idea with new sonic elements. What starts as a simple riff or rhythm expands into the grandiose, especially on the 19 minute opus “Krauter.”
Plume will probably take the Small Stone fanatics by surprise – after all, it is a far cry from the label's usual fare. But fans of Pharaoh Overlord and the like will be captivated by Giant Brian's pulsating music. Good stuff indeed.
John Pegoraro
December 31st, 2006
www.stonerrock.com
end of reviews, please read on for biography.
The Giant Brain came about because of a painting, really... When Detroit art-legend and former Big Chief rhythm guitarist Mark Dancey painted what he thought Detroit genius-savant Andy Sutton's brain might look like, the concept for a band came about— one that would fuse all things good about Detroit music with the improvisational aspects of Krautrock.
Andy (bass, drum programs, and general concepts) had played in bands with his brother, Al Sutton, producer of records by such rock stalwarts as Big Chief, The Detroit Cobras, The Laughing Hyenas, as well as national acts like Don Caballero, Five Horse Johnson, and Halfway to Gone. Al took the reins as producer/editor/arranger. The two then enlisted the musically and otherwise unemployed Philip Dürr, former lead guitarist of Big Chief and only real Kraut in the neighborhood, and commenced to recording pretty much immediately.
As with the great Krautrock bands, improvisation is a major part of The Giant Brain, live as well as in-studio. The concept is devilishly simple: establish a basic premise, deconstruct, demolish and re-construct it, invite some friends to do what they're good at (if necessary), until the end-product is a right, mostly-instrumental, Cologne-cum-Detroit mess... creating that "come hither so we may rock your pants wet" atmosphere out of the chaos that is so desperately lacking from other, less off-the-cuff bands.
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