G I A N T
Giant - Last of the Runaways (A&M) 1989
1. I'm a Believer (5:44)
2. Innocent Days (5:16)
3. I Can't Get Close Enough (6:06)
4. I'll See You in my Dreams (4:46)
5. No Way Out (4:03)
6. Shake Me Up (4:16)
7. It Takes Two (4:58)
8. Stranger to Me (5:57)
9. Hold Back the Night (4:11)
10. Love Welcome Home (4:51)
11. The Big Pitch (5:07)
Giant was the brainchild of David and Dann Huff (of Whiteheart fame), together with keyboard player Alan Pasqua and bassist Mike Brignardello. The band's debut, "Last of the Runaways", is a slickly produced melodic rock album. The opening track "I'm A Believer" is not a cover of the Neil Diamond classic, but is an original composition with slight Christian leanings. There are a couple of 80's AOR rockers in "Innocent Days" and "Hold Back the Night". The album also features some sappy, sugary-sweet, power ballads titled "I'll See You In My Dreams" and " Love Welcome Home", both taylor made for late 80's radio. Since Dann Hauff had worked as a backing musician and producer for some of rock and pops biggest artist (Michael Jackson, Amy Grant, etc.), he certainly had an idea of what radio might looking for. The single "I'll See You in My Dreams" did manage to briefly crack the Top 20, as I recall. Other tracks, such as "I Can't Get Close to You" and "No Way Out" are about as cheesy as 80's rock gets, sounding a bit like Loverboy or Night Ranger. My favorite cut is "Stranger to Me" with it's lush melodies and hint of 70's hard rock influence. Overall, "Last of the Runaways" is a decent melodic, mostly soft rock affair. I probably would have liked this album better had the songs had a bit more personality and rock and roll grit and a bit less sheen.
Giant - Time to Burn (Epic) 1991
1. "Thunder and Lightning"
(4:23)
2. "Chained" (7:19)
3. "Lay It on the Line" (5:22)
4. "Stay" (4:46)
5. "Lost in Paradise" (5:31)
6. "Smoulder" (:29)
7. "Time to Burn" (4:49)
8. "I'll Be There (When It's Over)" (4:29)
9. "Save Me Tonight" (6:00)
10. "Without You" (4:26)
11. "Now Until Forever" (5:44)
12. "Get Used To It" (4:50)
Giant are one of those bands I had heard of and one that many people were emailing me to check out. I am familiar with Dan Huff's work with Whiteheart, but had never checked out Giant. "Time to Burn" is an good, melodic hard-rock album in the veign of Journey, with the a bit more flash from Dan Huff. Songs like "Chained," "Stay," "Without You," and "I'll Be There (When It's Over)" are quite infectious, melodic, and contain plenty of anthem-like, sing-along choruses. Of course what would this style of AOR be without a few gut wrenching ballads. "Time to Burn" contains two, "Now Until Forever" and the excellent "Lost in Paradise." Apparently the entire band is made up of Christians, but the lyrics don't really infer much about Christianity at all.