Big Awesome
Party On
Jetsam-Flotsam (2015)
Sounds like: Braid, The Promise Ring, Sunny Day Real Estate, Joyce Manor
Score: 9/10
Big Awesome: Indie rock made for (and by?) those who grew up listening to punk rock.
Big Awesome fits into a pocket of music that seems to be lacking personality lately. Call it emo, alt-rock, indie rock, or even what the kids are calling pop punk these days, but when it comes down to it, they’re taking a swing at the somewhat softer side of independent music with the emotion and passion the late 90s/early 2000s indie and emo scenes. Coming off their 2012 Birdfeeder EP, they’d set themselves up for a great full length. It was a promising four songs that left me wanting more.
With their new album Party On, Big Awesome picks up right where they left off and have actually brought a little extra grit and tempo to the table. So often, a band like this will make an excellent well-rounded EP or debut album and then gradually end up heading towards a slower and somewhat boring musical path, e.g.The Get Up Kids transition from Something to Write Home About to On a Wire.
For Party On, Big Awesome said to hell with the status quo and went their own way. This can be heard in songs such as the standout track, “Wolf,” in which the band mixes pretty guitar leads, a catchy upbeat chorus, groovy bass lines, rhythmic hooks, and even throws in a good old fashioned punk beat on the end to round things out. While this may be a recipe for disaster in the wrong hands, Big Awesome pulls it off flawlessly. Every weird turn the album takes seems natural and right. You can hear their influences, but they turn everything into their own sound, and there’s nothing gimmicky or inauthentic going on here.
“What Grows,” kicks off the record with a decent punch of energy and sets the tone for what the rest of the record will sound like. Big Awesome transition well from track to track but they also have great transitions within songs as well. The jump from the acoustic intro of Hooper to the full band hits on all cylinders with a great sing along. Throughout the album each member of the band finds a way to shine without overpowering the other players. Tracks like “Wolf” and “Foliage” have great bass lines that really shine and contribute to the song rather than become a distraction. Other songs are more ensemble based with great grooves and driving rhythms, eg. “To Live and Die in the Dirty South” and “Wookie Blaylock.” Just about every song has a great noodle on the guitar in it and the drummer knows exactly when to play and when to let the song breathe. As a drummer, I really appreciate this because many times on the drums – less is more.
About once a year or so, I will find an album that sort of consumes me for a while, and Party On just seems to resonate right now. It’s a breath of fresh air and everything on Party On just seems to fit right into place. If you enjoy good rock and roll that includes catchy vocals with a little bit of grit, guitar leads that you can’t get out of your head, great rhythmic jam parts, groovy bass lines, and the occasional curve ball that will keep you on your toes, then you will take to this album as much as I have. Party On encompasses just about everything that I love about music all wrapped into one album.
Favorite Tracks – Wolf, What Grows, Party On, Warning (Bonus Mallrats intro clip), Pay Attention
– Mike Reilly
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