Punk enthusiasts will be pleased to hear about Bristol’s newest D.I.Y group, Big Dreams, who are independently releasing their promising new EP ‘Look Alive!’ by way of a free online download. Recorded by their guitarist Nick in his spare bedroom, there is an air of the old Leatherface records – the sandpaper vocals reminiscent of Frankie Stubbs – coupled with a musical style similar to fellow punks, Off With Their Heads.
“I miss my friends”, screams vocalist Thomasin opening track ‘The Grind’. “I miss having time to spend freely on all the things that matter…”, he continues, venting his frustration at the tedium of 9 – 5 jobs. With band at full throttle, ‘Ask The Entrails’ soon follows with everything cranked up, and Thomas, continuing with his disdain for the capitalist world states “I just don’t believe it when your politic tells you to buy and sell everything / Tells you that the market provides and that pursuit of profit leads to social benefit”. A bit crude for my liking, but you get the idea.
By the time final tracks ‘S.H.A.N.U.S’ and ‘Sex Talk’ call for your attention, the unrefined approach of Big Dreams does begin to wane. It doesn’t manage to overstay it’s welcome with these four tracks, but it’s a sound which may prove difficult to stretch across a future full-length album. Big Dreams aren’t playing or saying anything new, but for those of you who enjoy the familiarity of D.I.Y hardcore-punk, then this will be a good addition to the collection, and hopefully a full length will bring a new dimension to their sound to keep people interested.
ANDREW BAYLISS