The pairing between David Byrne and Annie Clark of St. Vincent began as an idea for a charitable performance, and quickly became a full-blown collaboration. After Clark suggested using a brass band rather than the traditional rock band, their debut album Love This Giant began to take form. The brass lends the songs an appealing theatrical sheen while programmed percussion provides a contemporary feel. The inventive arrangements have clearly sparked some remarkable vocal performances—check out Byrne on the syncopated “I Should Watch TV” or Clark on the grand “Optimist.” Though there’s no overarching theme to Love This Giant, surreal images of nature dominate the lyrics, most of which were worked on in tandem by Byrne and Clark. The album truly became more than the sum of its parts.
Genre: Art Rock/Indie Pop
www.lovethisgiant.com
