The debut from GIFT pushes the sort of buttons we've heard pushed before, but it's engaging nonetheless. The group is on the label formed by Oliver Ackermann (A Place To Bury Strangers), and that sort of makes sense. I say that because there's a similar emphasis on volume and power, with nuance too, on Momentary Presence.
Opener "When You Feel It Come Around" owes huge debts to Spacemen 3 and Spiritualized, while "Gumball Garden" roars a bit more. This one churns with shades of Gish-era Smashing Pumpkins as well as a dash of early stuff from The Verve. This is big music, yes. Elsewhere, leader TJ Freda steers "Share the Present" and "Lost for You" towards territory mapped out by Tame Impala earlier, while "Feather" is a bit more spacious and airy. There's a nice dynamic push-and-pull between GIFT's rock tendencies and their synth-y leanings, and that gives the whole album energy and force. There's nothing here I really disliked, even if the parts that I did like a great deal felt a bit familiar.
Momentary Presence by GIFT is out now.
[Photo: Jena Cumbo]