Local Review: Buried Giant – Swallow the Sun

Buried Giant
Swallow The Sun

Self-Released
Street: 05.04
Buried Giant = Shawn James & the Shapeshifters + Jeff Buckley + Private Island

Bluesy and complex, Buried Giant run the gamut of genres and emotions through their four-song EP Swallow The Sun. This EP is a sampler of Buried Giant’s hybrid of blues, psych and even metal influences. There are moments of weightless, ethereal guitarwork balanced with heavy, straightforward rock. In each song, there is emotive power in  the instrumentation harmonizing with the lyrical subject matter. 

The biggest contrast in genres, as well as the two strongest songs on the EP are “Hot Air Balloon” and “Swallow The Sun.” “Hot Air Balloon” is in 6/8 time, with intricate, looped guitar work and a perfectly drawn-out instrumental section that channels the feeling of weightlessness and detachment. The chord progression feels experimental and fresh, but the song maintains a bluesy aura. On the other hand, the title track “Swallow The Sun” is an outlier in the EP, with a straightforward, southern rock backbone. “Swallow The Sun” errs from the progressive, introspective feeling of the EP and dives straight into metal. Quite frankly, this song rocks, and the guitar solos peppered throughout are gritty and catchy.

“Monday Night – (Live in Studio)” is the track that I am struggling to pinpoint for Buried Giant, and it’s the song that seems to rely the heaviest on lyricism. While the instrumentation is a fairly standard rock/blues ballad, the subject matter seems to be about languishing depression:  “Layin’ in bed / she’s got the blues / spending all her time / watching the news / sick and tired of the same old ruse / running down a short fuse.” Compared to the lyrical subtlety of “Hot Air Balloon” and “Let’s Go,” the lyrics of “Monday Night – (Live in Studio)” seem almost too literal. 

Buried Giant excel in creating music that is atmospheric and pushes boundaries while still remaining accessible and listenable. My excitement through Swallow The Sun comes from hearing notes of blues, classic rock and psych, and seeing how Buried Giant is creating their own unique amalgamation of these influences. –Ali Shimkus

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