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Armed with a guitar and just a few chords, Ottawa’s Giant Hand (aka Kirk Ramsay) has quickly made a name for himself in his hometown and beyond, opening for Immaculate Machine, Born Ruffians and his hero, Daniel Johnston. Produced and engineered by the Acorn’s Rolf Klausener, this EP features sparse, hypnotic arrangements that put the focus squarely on Ramsay’s plaintive vocals.
Committed to themes of mortality and death, the lyrics are simply poetic, with startling lines connecting the physical to the spiritual. Ramsay sings of becoming trees in the afterlife (Starting As People II), enjoying life while you can (Another Step Down) and the magic of reading by flashlight (Books) as told from a child’s POV. It’s an odd but interesting love letter to life, love and music.
Top track: Starting As People II
