Big Special: National Average - Review

Big Special go against the norm by springing a surprise release on an unexpected public which has all the hallmarks of a not so difficult SECOND album, full of ideas and Black Country wit. Wayne AF Carey says ‘efcharisto’…

Big Special have created an album here that uses their original blueprint from Post Industrial Hometown Blues, yet smashes it to pieces with a dark and exhilarating album that challenges the brain with some pop moments a la Yard Act without the poncy art bollocks. Game on…

Opening track The Mess kicks off with a tribal beat and a dark sleazy keyboard full of sinister vibes that builds into a mushy storm. “I could smash up the gaff with a big fuck off machete’” pronounces Joe Hicklin before stating “I’m stuck inside my head like something sticky” with the sneer of classic Lydon. A top as fuck start. God Save The Pony brings out the funk of Talking Heads / Franz Ferdinand and the lyrics are as hilarious as ever with a clever chorus and a weird humming noise floating throughout. Hug A Bastard goes into mental dark trip hop territory with a funky bass line and slick crashing cymbals with Joe waxing lyrical while Callum Maloney keeps all the noise together as his single unit. “Sometimes you’ve gotta rave, sometimes you’ve gotta run”…

Shop Music is a funny as fuck dig at the way the industry runs and the promises made by the higher echelons of management, a bruising funky builder with a rousing chorus. We will sell your shit as they say… Pigs Puddin is a dark bastard with sinister keyboards and brooding lyrics. Enough to make you think twice about eating meat. Professionals is glam romper that bangs into a rousing chorus full of glorious noise and Joe’s comedic lyrics flowing throughout. Top notch. Get Back is a slow dark burner with a fuzzy distorted riff and a Bonham drum beat hitting hard over the lyrics. It stops then hits you in the face with Joe shouting “Get back safe” to eery effect.

YESSBOSS is their punk as fuck number a la Softplay, a rousing bastard that tumbles into a mele of noise and rants about yes, your horrible boss. Domestic Bliss kicks in with a plonking keyboard and goes back into Joe’s early blues vocals from the debut. It’s clever stuff full of invention and familiar funk from the BC duo, even including a sax solo to fuck you up. Judas Song kicks in again with a dark riff then explodes into a Sabbath like noise, funky bass line and then goes all folk prog for a bit. It’s a weird bastard yet hypnotic and unique.

The Beast is another venture into prog from the start, giving a feel of when Inspiral Carpets released The Beast Inside. A builder that sounds sinister and gothic. Joe Hicklin sounds like a preacher on acid with his cryptic lyrics that come across like Nick Cave before a funky as fuck drum beat hits in with anger and intent. Cool as fuck. I Once Had A Kestrel starts with another bit of prog before Joe’s spoken word comes in then abruptly stops before closing track Thin Horses comes in. This is the BIG single with Joe singing like he did on Black Dog / White Horse. A stunning piece of mellow blues with sterling music from his sidekick Callum Maloney.

Another excellent album that puts Big Special on the map of great duos producing some of the best music around at the moment…

09 Jul – KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton, UK
10 Jul – 2000 Trees Festival, UK
12 Jul – Cactus Festival, Bruges, BE
25-28 Jul – Deer Shed Festival, Thirsk, UK
08 Oct – Cactus Café, Bruges, BE
09 Oct – Trix Bar, Antwerp, BE
10 Oct – Rotown, Rotterdam, NL
11 Oct – Bitterzoet, Amsterdam, NL
12 Oct – Hall of Fame, Tilburg, NL
14 Oct – Loppen, Copenhagen, DK
15 Oct – Lux, Hannover, DE
16 Oct – Kantine, Berlin, DE
17 Oct – Chmury, Warsaw, PL
18 Oct – Café V lese, Prague, CZ
22 Oct – Arena, Vienna, AUT
23 Oct – Santeria, Milan, IT
24 Oct – Exil, Zurich, CH
25 Oct – Orangehouse, Munich, DE
28 Oct – MTC, Cologne, DE
29 Oct – La Boule Noire, Paris, FR
31 Oct – Razzmatazz 3, Barcelona, ESP
01 Nov – El Sol, Madrid, ESP

13 Feb – The Waterfront, Norwich, UK +
14 Feb – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, UK +
15 Feb – Digital, Newcastle, UK +
18 Feb – University Stylus, Leeds, UK +
19 Feb – SWG3 Warehouse, Glasgow, UK +
20 Feb – New Century Hall, Manchester, UK +
21 Feb – O2 Institute, Birmingham, UK +
24 Feb – Electric Bristol, Bristol, UK +
25 Feb – The 1865, Southampton, UK +
27 Feb – Roundhouse, London, UK ^ + △
06 Mar – The Workman’s Club, Dublin, IE
07 Mar – Ulster Sports Club, Belfast, UK

+ = Support from GANS
^ = Support from Liz Lawrence
△ = Support from Good Health Good Wealth

Words by Wayne Carey, Reviews Editor for Louder Than War. His author profile is here

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Big Special: National Average – Review