TRLBLZRS 20
With more than a million listeners on Spotify, Giant Rooks has carved a permanent space into the indie-rock scene.
Hamm-native band, Giant Rooks, wants to welcome you into the Rookery. Their first album ROOKERY was released in August of this year, introducing twelve unique tracks that exemplify the band’s essence on a personal level.
"The musical challenge was not to get lost in a nostalgia - we just don’t wanna be another band just giving reference to musical decades long past. We wanna move forward, not backwards."
Giant Rooks was founded in 2015. It’s made of singer Frederik Rabe, bassist Luca Göttner, guitarist Finn Schwieters, keyboardist Jonathan Wischniowski, and drummer Finn Thomas. Since then, Giant Rooks has been making headlines, winning awards like the 1LIVE Krone Award, and selling out concerts all over Europe. They have played over 350 shows worldwide. As one of the most promising bands to come out of Germany, every time they release an EP, it sells out. It’s a true testament to the love for music this band has.
Their first album, ROOKERY, is the development of the band’s own sound. After years of fighting the expectation of fitting in and chasing trends, the guys decided it was time to re-introduce themselves in their own terms.
"The recordings and songwriting process had started two years ago and since then we worked on the album every single day till the release. If I had to describe the album in one word I’d choose: diverse."
In ROOKERY, there’s a song for everyone. My personal favorite and the one I believe encompasses their unique voice is “Watershed.” However, you’ll see hints of disco, classic music, and electronic music throughout the entire album. In a time when indie artists and bands exist in abundance, Giant Rooks is a breath of fresh air.
Their music is unique, and by listening to the album, you are reminded of the various and diverse influences Giant Rooks has. ROOKERY has traces of Kanye and Bon Iver, but also of legends like Bob Dylan. The sound is so unique that it is difficult to fully compare it to any other artist. In a way, they mix different genres to create a sound that can only be defined as Giant Rooks. The guys didn’t hold back in their creation process, and experimented with a plethora of different sounds until theirs was pinned down. The 12 track album will surely become a staple in your playlists, regardless of your own musical taste. Among some of the most popular songs it’s “Wild Stare” which has over 50 MILLION streams on Spotify.
"During the lockdown we spend our time with the final steps: the mixing, the mastering, the artwork and so on. We are very fierce with all that. And yea of course, in a parallel universe we would have played loads of shows all of the world which we were so much looking forward to. We would have played a big tour in the US as well. It sucks but there’s nothing you can do about it."
Outside the recording studio, the guys love to engage and interact with their fan base through social media. From giving their fans a chance to design their own album cover for ROOKERY to asking and giving book recommendations on Twitter, following Giant Rooks on social media makes you feel very connected to them and their love for music. Not to mention their merch, which is absolute fire and an expression of their own personal styles.
Many artists look back to their first album with nostalgia. For them, it represents a period in their career that was driven by the desire to fit in and chase trends. However, Giant Rooks’ ROOKERY is widely successful in breaking the rules. With a fresh and original take on the music that inspires them, their first album will be one they look back to with pride and excitement. For me, this album has gotten me through the difficult second half of this year, emphasized the happiness of moments, and most importantly, ROOKERY has inspired me to always define myself by my own rules and no one else's.
This story appears on the December 20 issue of Mud, "Lisztomania." You can purchase a digital and print copy here.