BOTW Album Review: Big Deal – Lights Out

Debut album from our Band of the Week, Big Deal is titled Lights Out, off of Mute Records. It hit shops on Monday 29 August, and is an impressive beginning to what looks like a promising career.

Opener ‘Distant Neighbour’ is all fuzzed out and the vocals are sung in a way that might remind you of your own voice when you’re bored, which only adds to the overall atmosphere of the track, as it’s about being on the final tether with someone- with an overall message of, ‘hope you do fine, but get out of my life’. Following is the clearer cut, ‘Chair.’ It’s a bit more of a love-longed-for tune; with a jumpy guitar it’s infectious and quickly winds up on loop in your head.

Tracks like ‘Cool Like Kurt’ and ‘Homework’ give off a youthful joy, but also the pain of realizing the hindrance of youth, the later stating, ‘I want be older.’ And with Alice’s sweetly, soft voice and KC’s sleep-soaked vocals you can’t help but think they’d be the two you’d see in the back of class, drawing away on their jeans. ‘Talk’ brings a bit more of a punch to the scene with heavy guitar rifts that will give more of a satisfying payback rather than the reserved sound from most of the LP. ‘Talk’ was featured on the drama Sirens, and one of those songs that you’ll be humming brushing your teeth, at work, and on the commute home.  ‘Never Let Go’ has a more ‘90s garage-rock feel to it, and considering I come from Seattle I can’t help but gravitate towards.

The album can be difficult to get used to for those are more into heavy synth albums, or simply are used to listening to bands with drums. Big Deal, instead, go for a more honest approach that at times can make the listener feel voyeuristic with their, at times brutally bare lyrics. But, the combinations of their voices is so infectious that you find yourself going back to the album over and over even though it might feel like reading your little sisters journals. Even right up to the end of the final notes, the album is delicate and beautiful.

-Stevie Pearce