To lump the Giraffes into one genre would be difficult if not downright impossible. On Prime Motivator, their fourth full-length, the Brooklyn-based rockers return with an album littered with stoner rock riffs, thunderous punk drumming and slick surf rock melodies. Vocalist Aaron Lazar, who suffers from a heart condition which forced him to have a defibrillator implanted, sings with such grit and intensity that you're afraid the machine could be set off and shock him at any moment. On the title-track, Lazar speaks of his experiences with the infliction through lyrics such as, "I don't feel so fine/when the machine makes up it's mind," and, "If you want to try/this machine of mine/have a friend slam a crowbar into your chest/every time that you think you'll be catching your breath, then slam your heart into your spine." The track, "Done," is an instant rock classic that combines a nasty Zeppelin-like guitar riff with Lazar's snide vocals, all drenched and dripping with distortion. The song, "Honest Man," with its sprawling bass lines and space rock infused vibe, sounds like it could have been plucked right off of Hawkwind's 1972 live recording, Space Ritual Volume 2.
The album includes guest appearances by Jessie "The Devil" Hughes and Melissa Auf Der Mar, and was produced at the legendary Rancho De La Luna Studios in Joshua Tree, CA by Dave Catching, who has lent his magical touch to acts such as Queens Of The Stone Age, Eagles Of Death Metal and the Mark Lanegan Band. Prime Motivator is a perfect example of a band taking the manic energy and raw intensity of their live shows with them into the studio and coming out with a fist-pumping, bong ripping masterpiece.
