“Underground Love”
We are always on the lookout for new music, hunting high and low for new sounds and new bands that could potentially fill one of our coveted spots as an Alphabet Band. It’s always a pleasant experience then when new music comes looking for us. Last week an email appeared in our inbox from And The Giraffe, an “ambient dream-folk” duo from Gainesville, Florida. Dream is definitely the right description, listening to And The Giraffe is like being gently sung to sleep, tenderly caressed into slumber by the most delicate of sounds.
The band is made up of best friends Nick Roberts and Josh Morris who both share musical and vocal duties on their debut EP, Something For Someone. With the pair currently residing in separate states, they kept in contact and shared their latest thoughts and compositions via Dropbox. Then it was a hell for leather session over the summer to record the full 6-song, 23 minute long collection in Nick’s bedroom. If that sets off your inner ‘poor quality recording’ klaxon, then you can go ahead and silence it right now. There are no quality issues here, either in the production and recording or the quality of music.
Roberts and Morris have crafted a piece of work that stands up next to the very best releases in the genre this year. There is a real understated beauty, grace and fragility about the songs, as if each one had been hand crafted from the finest crystal. All rough edges have been smoothed out and the guitars, keys, drums, vocals and occasional horns are all allowed to blend and melt into one another. The effect is a blissful after-party vibe, just so serene and tranquil.
The tracks are similar in sound but not in a ‘we only know how to write one kind of song’ sort of way. No, this is very much a case of a band being certain of their sound and knowing exactly what they want to achieve. It’s a ridiculously impressive debut and one that you will find yourself fully immersed in before you realise it. Your repeat button is going to take something of a battering with this one.
Something For Someone was released in July and is available on the And The Giraffe Bandcamp page . You have the option of paying what you like, including paying nothing, but please do give something to support this young band so they can continue to do what they love and what they do so well. How many other bands are so keen for you to hear their music that they will offer to hand deliver CDs to anyone who lives in their states?
You can also catch up with them online via their website, or on
Alphabet Bands 
Its slow…the music, and vocals, are good dont get me wrong…I just dont know if I see anyone other than Pilates and Yoga instructors buying this for their classes. Soz.
I mean that though they have clearly worked hard on this, and i dont disagree with what you’ve written about it, it is very specific music for a certain kind of audience……