Give

GIVE
Dog Days of Summer EP
It takes only the most casual of listens to recognize that Give have got the goods: platinum hooks, a dead smart backbeat, and enough of a leaden edge to give the post-grunge crowd something to latch onto. Featuring the songwriting talents of ex-Honkeyball main man George Tsiaras, Give picks up right where Honkeyball's swan song Down By Three (Wonderdrug) left off, only this time with a little more nut and a more streamlined, radio-ready format. Tuneful power chord anthems like "You Never Miss the Water Till the Well Runs Dry" and "Speeding Bullet" could easily dominate on commercial radio today, and quite frankly, the world would be a better place for it. The potential for six-figure rock here is limitless; Tsiaras seems to have the ability to crank out infectious three-minute FM power nuggets like McDonald's pumps out beef-blanched fries. With a formidable lineup filled out by Claude Yama (ex-Honkeyball, replacing Dave Link, who played on this record) on bass, Steve "Harbo" Hart (ex-Claymore) on skins and Chris Link on guitar, Give opened up for Staind last weekend, and although they can certainly play to that crowd, it's unlikely we'll see Tsiaras singing a duet with Fred Durst anytime soon-primarily because Give is just the kind of band that could infiltrate the comm-rock circuit undetected before reorganizing the ranks to suit their own design. There are plenty of bands in Boston who should be huge; Give is one of the few who could actually pull it off. (Get 'Em Off Records)
- J. Bennett
- J. Bennet