“Progress” by Two-Man Giant Squid is the unapologetic, gritty garage-rock song you’ve been waiting for. Yelled with all the angst and passion in the world, the words practically ooze power and drama. Crunchy, messy guitars flow from every orifice of the song, bolstered by a frenetic drum groove. If you’re partial to this kind of music, there’s nothing not to love. It’s truly one of the most well-executed punk songs you’ll have heard in a long time.
An anticipatory tom groove kicks in, followed by a light bass line. Slowly, the other instruments pile in, eventually culminating in the most energetic, crash-iest intro. A pentatonic guitar riff barrels through the mix, tearing up everything in its wake. By the time the vocals come in, you’re already feeling the wildly aggressive mood. “Well hey / let’s make some progress / We’ll get it right / If you just take my advice,” the singer wails each word with immense, conversational conviction. Some phrases are chorused, others a lone voice. Regardless, the effortlessly cool intensity prevails. Verse two continues this atmosphere with the addition of the aforementioned guitar riff. By the end of this verse, however, a hi-hat-based build-up takes over. Crisp eighth notes ring out until the pedal slowly lets up, resulting in a few measures of peak loudness, then a rhythm-less bridge. The sectionally pretty much goes off the rails at this point, but it ends with climactic octaves and a final hit on the crash cymbal.
Be sure to give Two-Man Giant Squid a listen! You’ll doubtlessly fall in love with their edgy sound.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
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