Giant Drag‘s band bio on their record label’s website calls them a three-piece: Annie, Micah, and Micah’s left hand. Guess that’s to ward off any comments about yet another male-female duo. It’s also indicative of their sense of humor: wicked, silly, and just a little dirty.
With song titles like “Kevin is Gay” and “You’re Full of S*** (check out my sweet riffs),” not to mention “My Dick Sux,” Hearts and Unicorns certainly belies its wispy title. They do have their share of dreamy tunes, but the main characteristic of their album is the fuzzy, howling guitars and crashing percussion, and of course, Annie’s voice.
At times she sounds like she comes from the same planet as Bjork, and then she curls up her lip and snarls like a sassier Kim Deal. She’s sardonic, deadpan, and then slips into a song like “Smashing,” where she’s haunting and plaintive, set over a background of synth noises and feedback whines. Mostly though, the rock is where it’s at, snappy and begging to be played in a smoky club full of shoegazing hipsters.
The droning, repetitive nature of some of the tracks wears a little thin, but on the whole, I’m always happy to see another badass lady who can’t be pigeonholed as merely a “chick rocker.” If you loved the Pixies and My Bloody Valentine, and appreciate lyrics like “I can’t decide/If your words are unoriginal/Or just uninspired,” pick up Hearts and Unicorns.
