Search - Giant :: Time to Burn

Time to Rock!

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 08/30/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Session Supergroup" Giant was formed by some of the most sought after backing musicians in the business, including singer/guitarist Dann Huff, his brother Dave on drums, guitarist Mike Brignardello, and bassist Alan Pasqua. After working with a wide array of artists from Whitesnake to Madonna, as well as spending time in Christian rock band White Heart, the Huff brothers put together Giant and took the melodic rock world by storm.



1992's Time to Burn was the band's second album, and it took a harder-edged approach than 1989's Last of the Runaways did. It's still a very melodic album, and there are plenty of keyboards, but the album overall packs a bit more punch. This heavier sound is evident right from the start, with powerhouse opener Thunder and Lightning and the hard-hitting Chained. More melodic songs like Stay and Save Me Tonight have the same feel as the debut album. Time to Burn, with its perfect blend of hair metal heaviness and AOR polish, reminds me a lot of what Bad English and Damn Yankees were doing at the time.



Unfortunately with the advent of the grunge movement, Giant, no longer welcome on mainstream radio and MTV, ended up calling it a day soon after this album was released. Dan Huff remained busy with session and production work, but was able to resurrect Giant in 2001 for the appropriately titled third release III.



I don't think it's quite at the same level as Last of the Runaways, but Time to Burn is still one of my favorite melodic rock albums. It's another first class melodic rock offering from one of the best bands in the genre. Anyone interested in AOR, melodic rock, and/or 80's rock should definitely check it out, especially while it is still available brand new for cutout prices.

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Time to Burn is a perfect example of melodic rock at it's pe

George Dionne | Cape Cod, MA | 02/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Before forming Giant, frontman Dann Huff was an in-demand session musician. He worked with such music heavyweights as Michael Jackson and Amy Grant. Huff decided to team up with his brother Dave and signed a record deal in 1989. Their first single "I'll See You in My Dreams" actually cracked the Top 20. Sadly, the album didn't sell that well. Giant returned in 1991 with Time to Burn.



"Thunder and Lightening" kicks things off with energetic guitar and pounding drums. Dann Huff's vocals are the pinnacle of 80's melodic rock. The twitch of the keyboard adds just the right texture. An extended acoustic jam leads you into the powerful chorus of "Chained." Huff pushed his range to the limit on the harmonic bridge and chorus. It's another round of melodic fury on "Lay It On the Line." Despite the chunky riffs and pulsing keys, the track has just a hint of the blues.



What would a rock album from the 80s be without a power ballad? "Lost in Paradise" is an emotional track driven by keyboards and Huff's throaty vocals. Lightening quick guitar licks and driving riffs run rampant over "Time to Burn." "Without You" returns to the power ballad format, but with more guitars and more regrets. The chorus is an over-the-top emotion-jerker. The album concludes with the same energy it started with on "Get Used to It."



The band disbanded shortly after the release of the album. They did release a few albums here and there over the years, but Dann Huff returned to session work. He went on to work with Shania Twain, Michael W. Smith, and also produced two Megadeth albums. The list of people Huff has worked with goes on and on, and their all big name artists. If your wondering about Huff's associations with Smith and Grant, he is a devout Christian and was part of the Christian rock band White Heart prior to Giant.



The Verdict

I found this album at a yard sale three years ago and haven't stopped listening to it since. I honestly never heard of Giant before I picked it up. I can't believe how much of a melodic rock masterpiece this album it. The guitars are mighty, the vocals are powerful, and the hooks and riffs are plenty. Time to Burn is a perfect example of melodic rock at it's peak."