Givers

In Light

While the story of Givers’ formation is very interesting (duo meet at the University of New Orleans, get chased home to Lafayette, Louisiana, by Hurricane Katrina, get discovered by music bigwig Daniel Glass), it pales in comparison to how enthralling their music is. Like a combination of different genres of world music and indie rock, it’s a wonder Givers didn’t spend their formative years traveling the globe and learning the music of different cultures. Running the gamut of pop, soul, funk, Cajun and Zydeco, all the while sounding decidedly indie rock (Surfer Blood and Beach House come to mind), Givers are a rare treat.

Album opener “Up Up Up” sounds like African-infused, mangled surf. “Ripe” sounds like Pixies by way of Asia (the continent, not the ‘80s rock group). “In My Eyes” is Paul Simon playing a set at that collective-run bookstore where all the cool kids hang out. And we swear that on “Atlantic,” Givers channel the sounds of the east coast better than most bands that actually live on the east coast. Givers have created a debut that will surely set them atop the indie-rock world, if not only for their strict adherence to trying everything possible and succeeding gloriously at it all. Now if they could only change that band name to something a bit more evocative.

Glassnote http://www.glassnotemusic.com

“Atlantic”