Send "Givers " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Sputnikmusic |
 As a broad generalization, certain musical genres are often strongly associated with certain cities, states or even countries of the world. When it comes to indie-pop, geographical locations such as New York City, California and pretty much the whole of England are those which immediately come to mind… One that would not is Louisiana. Yet, the hotbed of Cajun and Zydeco has managed to produce one of the most promising talents that the genre has seen in years: Lafayette quintet Givers. If one actually thinks about it, why wouldn't a state with such wide-ranging influences be equipped to conceive such an outfit? Taking advantage of the vast array of cultures surrounding them during their upbringing, Givers practically take you on a trip around the musical world on their debut LP 'In Light'. Kicking things off with infectious lead single 'Up Up Up', the world music influences are readily apparent and seamlessly integrated, as synths are masterfully combined with all kinds of percussive instrumentation (not to mention a flute). Elsewhere, the finger-picked acoustic guitar of 'Saw You First' adds a Southern feel, 'Ripe' has a decidedly Asian flavor, 'In My Eyes' and 'Ceiling of Plankton' contain some Caribbean calypso, while the beautiful ukulele boasting 'Atlantic' somehow manages to convincingly carry a Celtic vibe! The percussive driven afro-beat of acts such as Vampire Weekend and Local Natives will come to mind, but via an abundance of layered melodies, Givers infuse subtle Cajun and funk influences to help differentiate the band from the indie-pop pack. It goes without saying that in order for Givers' five members to carry off such an expansive array of sounds and influences, then they have to be a dexterous bunch. Occasionally recalling the early work of Australian octet Architecture in Helsinki, all five are indeed multi-instrumentalists and many have been brought up performing improvisational work. Keyboardist Nick Stephan also plays flute and saxophone, impressive bassist Josh LeBlanc was initially the band's guitarist and trumpet player, while percussionist and co-lead vocalist Tiffany Lamson often bangs away at a second drum set. It's not just a mess of noise however, with the arrangements finding a nice balance of controlled chaos that is all held together by some catchy as hell guitar-work courtesy of Taylor Guarisco. To this extent, kudos must also go to producer Ben Allen, whose previous critically acclaimed work includes Animal Collective's 'Merriweather Post Pavilion' and Deerhunter's 'Halcyon Digest'....full text |
| Consequenceofsound |
| Louisiana band Givers first received attention for their live performances, one of which landed them the opening slot touring with Dirty Projectors. Givers’ sound involves continually evolving rhythms and percussion, embodying their lyrics, “Don’t get stuck in the meantime/there’s no such thing as the meantime.” After all, the “meantime” distracts from the crucial instrumental moment at hand. But In Light could benefit from some attention to mundane but necessary background information, like song organization and structure. As it is, each track explores so many different instrumental phrases that they blend together into one long song. That’s not to say it’s a bad song. The band’s extensive musical knowledge and talent expands In Light. You can hear vocalist Tiffany Lamson’s affinity for ‘50s rock and soul on “Meantime”, Chinese harps kick off “Ripe”, and “In My Eyes” coasts on a reggaeton beat. These songs build to a central breakdown rather than a climax (since Givers play each song with energy other bands reserve for the pinnacle, the listener pays more attention when they slow down). For example, the tight handclaps and drums that begin “Noche Nada” relax into an Aaliyah-like beat and a percussive finale Dirty Projectors would be proud of. Givers’ repetition of simple but emphatic lyrics also helps to focus the album. On “Saw You First”, Lamson and lead vocalist/guitarist Taylor Guarisco repeatedly harmonize “I saw you first/it was in a dream”; on their eponymous single “Up, Up, Up”, their vocalizations call and respond. Lamson’s husky voice gives heft and sophistication to the sunny Afrobeat-influenced melodies. When they perform, Givers ignite the audience with their harmonic and rhythmic dexterity. They synthesize Cajun and Zydeco, tropicalia, and other international influences with an ease that’s rarely heard. Recorded, the finer nuances of this fluidity are lost to the “Wait, haven’t I heard this before?” effect. If only each song were shorter and less spontaneous than their onstage renditions, then Givers would be more than just another Afrobeat band....full text |
| Onethirtybpm |
| GIVERS are the kind of band that could get away with throwing confetti around at their live show. And probably have. I wouldn’t know as I’ve never seen them. But you only need to step a few minutes into their hungry debut In Light to see the Louisiana prog-pop group was designed to be playing to a crowd willing to throw their reverently exuberant energy back at them in equal measure. I can only imagine what that looks like. The group conjures easy comparisons to Vampire Weekend and Architecture of Helsinki, channeling a bit of Jamaican and West African pop, but GIVERS compress their singular blinding emotional catharsis into a firebomb of pop that often hits the ceiling with spurts of punk intensity. They’re not want for an identity, though their electronic leanings, dew sparkling synths, chittery percussion, boy-girl vocal harmonies, and plucky telecaster are anything but unfamiliar in this day and age. Regardless, GIVERS etch a palpable charisma across their breathless debut that’s more than a little enjoyable to latch onto for 51 minutes. Those familiar with GIVERS’ 2010 eponymous EP will recognize four of the cuts on In Light, starting with opener and single “Up Up Up” (which has to be an anthem for something somewhere, right?). Yet GIVERS have completely reworked and re-recorded the comparably economic and live-sounding tracks, some of which might have dragged here and there. On In Light they’re given the benefit of studio meat, expanding their reach and slapping a whole lot more bottom beneath the biting fuzz and thumping drums. The group also manages to throw in a few more tempo changes, rerouting some of the drum work toward the more complex to make their crescendos land harder. By the time you get to the 2/4 high on “Up Up Up” following its gleeful allusions toward buoyancy, you’ve managed to obtain a taste of bodiless ascension and your smile probably hurts...full text |
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