Giraffes? Giraffes!

Giraffes? Giraffes!
Origin Massachusetts, New England, United States
Genres Math rock, progressive rock, post-rock, experimental rock
Years active 2001present
Labels independent
Website Official website
Members Ken Topham
Joseph Andreoli

Giraffes? Giraffes! (often abbreviated as G? G!) are an instrumental math rock band formed in 2001 in Massachusetts by guitarist/drummer Kenneth Topham and guitarist Joseph Andreoli. Along with math rock, the band's music frequently touches on post-rock, progressive rock and experimental rock.

History

Ken Topham and Joseph Andreoli both grew up in Massachusetts and met at Keene State college. The pair moved to California for four years, before eventually returning to Massachusetts and forming Giraffes? Giraffes!. The moves exposed the duo to several "musical communities," which Andreoli described as "totally weird to join," and then the band would "leave them and start again somewhere else."[1]

During their stay in California, Topham and Andreoli performed in several different groups, before performing "this stripped down guitar and drums thing for fun" under the name Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, taking the name from a Dave Eggers book. A year later, Giraffes? Giraffes! would also take their name from an Eggers book.[2] The titles for their songs, on the other hand, are chosen after each track is complete and is based on the tone of the finished song and the evolution of the ideas (used and unused) throughout the creative writing and arranging process.[3]

The group's first album SUPERBASS!!!! (Black Death Greatest Hits Vol. 1) (2005) was recorded in a warehouse in Massachusetts and was recorded mostly live, as with the rest of the band's output. "We try to record as much as possible live with minimal overdubs," says Topham. "But for the sake of time and frustration, we do some overdubs." Andreoli added "especially with looping. In a recording situation where you’re working with loops one little fuck up a loop 8 minutes in on a ten minute piece it’s just devastating," concluding that the band tries to only record material that they can play live.[2]

In 2007, G? G! released their second studio album, More Skin With Milk-Mouth recorded in Topham's apartment in Santa Cruz.[2] And following on from that with Pink Magick in 2011 and the 2013 split EP 10" with Goddard. The band's most recent release is Spazz Master 7", released in February 2015.

The band is very open to the use of their music in other media, publicly responding to one fan's request by stating: "Use whatever you want. Sounds cool! If it’s ever on the Internet, send us a link to check it out."[4]

Discography

SUPERBASS!!!! (Black Death Greatest Hits Vol. 1)

Giraffes? Giraffes! released their first album on December 9, 2005. The album was recorded and mixed by Topham and Christopher "Chet!" Snow.

More Skin With Milk-Mouth

Giraffes? Giraffes! released their second album on December 8, 2007. The album was recorded at Beef Studio by Topham and David Provost, mixed by Topham, and mastered by Dan Rathbun.

Live In Toronto

Giraffes? Giraffes! released their first live album on August 30, 2010. The album was recorded live on August 15, 2010, by Cameron Harding at Rancho Relaxo in Toronto, Canada. It features songs from their first two albums, as well as songs from their yet to be released third album.

Pink Magick

Giraffes? Giraffes! released their third album on September 21, 2011. The album was recorded and mixed at Beef Studio by Topham and mastered by Harris Newman.

10"

Giraffes? Giraffes! released a split 10" EP with Goddard on April 30, 2013. The first track was recorded by Giraffes? Giraffes! at Boiler Room Recordings in Worcester, MA. The second and third tracks were recorded by Goddard at Electrical Audio in Chicago, IL.

Spazz Master 7"

Giraffes? Giraffes! released a 7" EP on February 3, 2015. The EP was recorded and mixed by Jason Karby at Boiler Room Recordings, and mastered by Chris Goosman at Baseline Audio Labs.

Members

References

External links

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