CD: The Giranimals, Imperfectly Timed Words (Detach Records, July 2006)

Although we have posted other reviews before this one (shame on us), they were not, in fact, the first CDs we received for review. In actuality, The Giranimals’ Imperfectly Timed Words was the very first submission to Pitch Perfect Reviews. So a big, huge thank you and a humble apology for not getting this review written sooner goes out to the members of The Giranimals.

This Albuquerque-based band is made up of Connie Crandall (vocals/guitar), Maury Crandall (drums/vocals), Fox Fletcher (guitar) and Jamie Rushad (bass), and claims to have been born from a secret pact in a treehouse. Well, the secret is out and the group is busy bopping around and spreading the happy vibe in Burque and elsewhere.

The song “Bonnie and Ned” and many other tunes has a poppy, retro feel, and the music is a blend of Beach Boys-style pop, a peppy surf sound (if you close your eyes you can almost see the Brady Bunch on stage singin’ these songs in their polyester bellbottoms and leather fringe vests) and most noticeably, a fixation on melody. On the whole, The Giranimals’ music is simple but not simplistic, cute but not cheesy. It’s not a kind of music you hear very often in Albuquerque or anywhere else for that matter, and that’s the most pleasing part. The only distracting aspect of Imperfectly Timed Words is that sometimes Connie’s lyrics are illegible due to the fact that her vocal parts are so high, as is the case with the opening track, “The Sound Ultra.” Fortunately the glitch is only an occasional one, and her soprano parts are pretty and worth missing out on a few words here and there.

One of the record’s more memorable songs is, “For Shelly,” which is absolutely adorable both musically and lyrically: “Today’s the day when all her dreams just might come true / Her clothes are all laid out, new ones just for school / She walks downstairs only two hours to go / Time to show the world all that she knows / I like my teacher but sometimes he talks too fast / The boy who sits up front, cutest in my class / Today is the best day of the best week of the best year of my life / Some day I’ll grow and move into my own place / I’ll have a tv and plenty of space.”

While the chances that “For Shelly” will win awards for its profundity are slim, the song is deserving of a nod for being one sweet little ditty, and lucky Shelly has been immortalized through song and there’s no better gift for a girl than that.

The Giranimals put on a fantastic and fun show, so the next time you find yourself driving through New Mexico, keep one eye open for signs of a live performance, don your party wear and prepare for an evening of merrymaking.

For more information and future show dates, visit www.giranimals.com. And Imperfectly Timed Words can be purchased in Albuquerque at Natural Sound, MusicGoRound, Guitar Boy and Grandma’s Music.