SAD LOVERS & GIANTS Vinyl & CDs

Review: If propulsive rhythms, driving guitar riffs with the chorus pedal cranked all the way and reverb-soaked vocals are your bag then Sad Lovers and Giants are your ticket to joy. This release features their 1982 debut album - alongside companion material - and will almost certainly appeal to fans of post-punk greats, such as The Chameleons, The Cure and Interpol. The band never had the commercial backing that a major label affords so have slipped under the radar somewhat over the years. But thankfully new generations are tuning in and realising that they're an extraordinary group that ought to be held in as high regard as the seminal post-punk acts that people more readily refer to. The tracklist is stunning from start-to-finish, but don't miss 'Clint': the topline delivered on the synth is epic and the smorgasbord of guitar arpeggios and understated rhythms beneath prove their knack for penning atmospheric walls of sound. And 'Landslide' centers around a woozily psychedelic guitar pattern, hypnotic beats and short, thought-provoking lyrical stanzas that elevate the overall dreaminess. Music that's as tasteful as it gets, really.