While David Byrne and St. Vincent might seem an unconventional match, Love This Giant, their first collaborative release, makes for a noteworthy album that builds on the songwriters’ distinct backgrounds.
Best known as the former front man for Talking Heads, David Byrne has been a notable fixture in the music world for some time. Meanwhile, up-and-comer St. Vincent (the stage name for Annie Clark), has only recently gained momentum by working with acts like Death Cab for Cutie and Bon Iver. While the two differ in both experience and style, they craft a sound on Love This Giant that is refreshingly unique.
Drawing on an eclectic variety of instrumentation for this project anchored by a whomping baritone sax, the songwriters combine a brass presence with a prominent synth sound to create a funky yet unique musical quality best described as an energized jam session between The Postal Service and Beirut.
Album opener “Who” sets this tone. On this track, an unexpected bass line accompanies Byrne’s simple yet existential lyrics. St. Vincent’s melodic voice harmonizes with Byrne’s rendering the song accessible while hinting at the depth of the themes explored later.
With a composition of lyrics written exclusively by the duo, Love This Giant is full of imaginative dialogue for the listener to revel in; “I Am an Ape” and “I Should Watch TV” contain some of the more engaging concepts.
On the other hand, tracks like “The One Who Broke Your Heart” and “Lazarus” are catchy and fast paced with a bouncing drum beat and a hectic big band sound. St. Vincent’s youthful energy adds to the mix, creating tracks that will be the envy of any collaborative album.
But the album’s true genius appears when each artist plays up his/her partner’s strengths. They utilize only one singer’s voice while the other’s style seeps through the instrumental lines. In this way, St. Vincent mellows the experimental inclinations of Byrne, as the latter provides a solid vocal structure for St. Vincent’s airy sound.
Love This Giant brings two musical giants together for an album in which both St. Vincent and David Byrne are truly better together than the sum of their parts.
