Derek Almstead and Emily Growden are both longtime partners and established artists in their respective rights. Both worked, recorded and performed in Athens for many years with multiple groups, including between them The Olivia Tremor Control, Elf Power, The Glands, of Montreal, Faster Circuits and Marshmallow Coast.
In 2020 they departed to rural Pennsylvania where they’ve lived since after taking over the duties of a 75-acre farm established circa 1790. The farm has been in Growden’s family for some time. Now the pair are working together under the name Giant Day, and the results are indie post-punk spectacular. It’s also a situation where preparation met opportunity.
“We only formed as a band because The Ladybug Transistor asked Derek to open for them at the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh last fall,” said Growden. “He was like, might as well get the band back together! And now he’s drumming for them.”
When the single “Suspended Animation” was released in December 2022, this new group’s sound was teased into existence. While that early single was certainly portentous of coming events, even its sound was reworked into a smoothed out and sleek soundtrack with a breathy refrain in its background similar to the presence of Brigitte Bardot’s looped giggle on Serge Gainsbourg’s “Bonnie & Clyde.”
The album is named Glass Narcissus, which I really should have asked them to unpack, because left to my own devices I’m going to draw a line from Rumer Godden’s Black Narcissus to this and, the rural locations notwithstanding, that feels like a stretch. Nevertheless, this 10-song album is a tight collection of economical composition and aesthetic minimalism. The songs themselves aren’t particularly sparse but neither are they overpopulated.
When speaking with the pair last week, I mentioned to Almstead that the record feels like it has a dark overtone and he said, “I would say it’s more about coming out of darkness… that’s the spirit of it anyway!” He does allow, however, my assertion that there’s a sincere dub influence here as opposed to, say, Pylon, which was once referred to as a band that “ate dub for breakfast,” but that was actually far from true.
“Yeah, I think you’re headed in the right direction,” said Almstead. “I love the remix-iness of dub stuff. I kind of am coming into it from more of a This Heat direction, like This Heat’s ‘Repeat.’ But also just the general psychedelic touches of studio work that I’ve done over the years. It’s become kind of a blur of the things I’m thinking about.”
I asked Almstead about the effect of both sense of place and actuality of place, and whether that impacted the group’s compositional style. He said, “Yes, for sure. For one thing, I’m absolutely trying for more minimalism. Most of these mixes only really have like six or seven elements at most. I’m trying to be more direct, like having the vocals be more up front for example, and less hiding behind layers of psychedelic ideas. I have a lot more time alone up here to think about things and that affects the sounds and the subject matter.”
It’s somewhat ironic, though, that the songs coming out of the band’s new wide open spaces can often sound intentionally diminished or closed off. For example, the lyrically powerful “Ignore the Flood” (You won’t find us alive/ We’re caught in a time that’s gone by) aren’t shouted from a mountaintop but, rather, expressed intently behind an emotional door. Similarly, “Walk With A Shadow” is an internal prayer delivered only through seeming reluctance and self doubt. This song also has the most dubby bass of the whole record.
With regard to onstage presence, Growden said, “We’re both a little shy onstage, so we’ve been working on some projections to make it more interesting. We’re using electronic drums and bass, and I’m playing some keyboards and Derek plays guitar. I always plan to try really hard to jump around a bit and be more lively, but so far it hasn’t worked out.”
As most records aren’t born out of thin air and one set of hands, neither was this one. Almstead said, “Will and Kelly Hart [each of Elephant 6 Recording Company, which released the album] were big forces in this whole thing. I sent mixes to Will when I needed feedback from a trusted ear, and he gave us the band name. It wouldn’t be out on vinyl if it weren’t for them, and we wouldn’t be this ambitious if it weren’t for their encouragement and support. Kelly is a dynamo. She gets things done. Mike Turner [HHBTM Records, Crashing Through Publicity] has given us so much great advice with navigating the modern promotional world. He’s a life saver.”
WHO: Primordial Void Presents Giant Day, Forceghost, Minorcan
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 6, 8 p.m.
WHERE: Flicker Theatre & Bar
HOW MUCH: $10
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