Giant Mind
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Giant Mind

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | SELF

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | SELF
Band Pop Avant-garde

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"Haiti Receives a Dose of Medicine"

Giant Mind and local bands gather to perform a benefit concert for the disaster victims in Haiti.

This Friday, Giant Mind will host a Haiti relief concert at Philadelphia’s Arts Garage. All of the profits from the event, Alternative Medicine: Local Artists Helping Haiti, will go directly to Doctors Without Borders.

“We organized this event because we all felt that it was extremely necessary to help as many people as we could based on our musical skills,” drummer Tom Magliaro said.

Having performed at local venues such as the M-Room, the Khyber and the Blockley Poorhouse, Giant Mind – a group consisting of Temple alumni – doesn’t let social constraints keep them from pushing the limits.

They said the more scattered the genres of music performed at the concert, the greater the impact the fundraiser will have on the audience.

The lineup of bands includes Giant Mind, Power Animal, Andrew Lipke, Sky Ship and TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb.

“We’ve asked each of the participating bands to play because we love their music,” Puglese said. “We are excited to be playing with some great Philadelphia talent that we respect very much.”

Giant Mind is new to the scene, with five members from Philadelphia. Through the suggestion of vocalist, keyboardist and guitarist Greg Puglese, Giant Mind was created and the unique musical backgrounds of its members gave life to a brand new sound.

“It’s always exciting to try and play something a little different than what’s out there,” fellow keyboardist and trumpeter, Andrew Hagerman said.

Other group members – guitarist John Kutlu, bassist Steve DiRomualdo and Magliaro – noted that their musical interests have broadened since the formation of the band.

They said this expansion is partly due to the diversity of Temple’s campus that students are subject to every day. Main Campus is drowned with people not just from across the nation, but from abroad as well.

“We all went to Temple for four years, and I think the cultural diversity that thrives at [the university] definitely opened our eyes to all sorts of styles and influences,” Hagerman said.

Besides Temple’s diverse campus, Giant Mind also gets inspiration from a variety of music genres. The band doesn’t stick to a single type of music to follow, citing inspiration from Miles Davis to James Brown.
The majority of their music has been based off songs that Puglese wrote. Lyrics usually roll of the top of Puglese’s head, he said, but he still acknowledges the significance of the group as a whole.

“Even though we mostly perform my songs, I wanted to use a band name rather than my own name, since it had become more of a collective effort,” he said. “It just seemed kind of silly to use my name when other members of the band are just as important when it comes to the overall performance.”

The five bands are going to bringing originality to the stage Friday. Members of Giant Mind said they hope for a large turnout.

“We encourage any music fan to come out, even if they haven’t heard any of the bands,” Puglese said. “It will be a great way to raise money for a great cause and strengthen the local music scene.” - Temple News


"Giant Mind – “Mirror Watching”"

Here’s a great track from Giant Mind’s full-length self-release Holes In The Ground. Being the Beach Boys fan that I am, I love the Brian Wilson charm behind this tune. The band mixes warped hip-hop and soul samples, dynamic guitars, drum machines, and spacey electronics with warm acoustic sounds to create uniquely crafted pop songs. If you’re in the Philadelphia area, check ‘em out May 8th @ The M Room and May 21st @ Pub Webb. - Newdust Music Blog


"Giant Mind @ Kung Fu Necktie"

Philly’s Giant Mind closed out last night’s show at Kung Fu Necktie, following Cozy Galaxies’ rousing set. The crowd had whittled down a bit after Cozy Galaxies’ set (it was past 11 on a Wednesday night, after all), but the folks that stayed were treated to a great show. Much like Cozy Galaxies, Giant Mind knew what they were doing on stage, putting on a show that even included projected images on the wall behind them. Giant Mind’s debut album, Holes in the Ground, was released as a solo effort by frontman Greg Puglese; the band then formed after the release. The band used last night’s show to play some new songs from an EP that the group is working on now. These new songs build on the band’s already unique sound and show what they’re capable of when they’re working collectively. - The Swollen Fox


"Giant Mind"

Philly quintet Giant Mind soups up its atmospheric, wistfully paced dream-pop with hip-hop-informed beats, soul grooves, and the occasional gritty guitar riff, and still somehow manages not to obliterate the delicate, aching melodies at the heart of the tunes. Even when they bring trumpets and a host of psychedelic textures to the mix, Giant Mind’s songs remain airy and ethereal, yet not without direction or purpose. As Casey Kasem might say, the band keeps its feet on the ground but keeps reaching for the stars. - Michael Alan Goldberg, Philadelphia Weekly - Philadelphia Weekly


"Philly Local Pick of the Day"

Greg Puglese is an audio and visual artist from Philadelphia. In 2008, he graduated from the Tyler School of Art with a Graphic and Interactive Design degree. In the arena of visual art, he has held various exhibitions, and won numerous awards for his designs and illustrations. With regard to music, Puglese has recently released an album entitled “Holes in the Ground.”

The album, one component of what Puglese has called an “ongoing project” in the sonic realm, is decidedly alternative in feel, but eclectic in sound. Folk influenced melodies, electronic tones and hip hop samples come together to produce avant-garde, progressive music of an inventive artist. - WXPN


Discography

Holes In The Ground (2009)

Tracks from Holes In The Ground have been played on both WXPN (88.5 Philadelphia, PA) and The Sub-Rock Music Hour (WNRB-LP 93.3FM Wausau, WI)

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Bio

The album, [Holes In The Ground], is decidedly alternative in feel, but eclectic in sound. Folk influenced melodies, electronic tones and hip hop samples come together to produce avant-garde, progressive music of an inventive artist. ~ Helen Leicht, WXPN

Immersed in the Philadelphia music scene, Giant Mind can frequently be caught at one of Philadelphia's most beloved indie venues. Whether it be a local show or as touring support, venues like Johnny Brenda's, Kung Fu Necktie, North Star Bar, and the M-Room have been home to the band for the past year.

Originally conceived to perform behind band member Greg Puglese's 2009 album, Holes in the Ground, the band has brought the album to the attention of many. Along with being aired on various radio stations including Philadelphia's prestigious WXPN, The Sub-Rock Music Hour on WNRB-LP 93.3FM, and appearing on Volta Internet Radio for a two-hour interview and album showcase, the band's commitment to performing live as much as possible has garnered a growing fan base. When not playing shows at festivals like 2010's Philadelphia Film and Music Festival, performing alongside headlining acts like The Dead Milkmen and A Sunny Day in Glasgow, the band can sometimes be caught busking on street corners or performing an acoustic set somewhere you might least expect it.

The band has also played various shows on the East Coast, including shows in NYC at places like Lit Lounge, and have been honored to share the stage with bands like Locksley, Andrew Lipke, The Big Pink, Cheers Elephant, MEM, and TJ Kong & the Atomic Bomb.