Bigiwg’s debut on Kung Fu Records, ‘Stay Asleep’, features many tracks that have been used on more CDs than Frank Sinatra (um ok maybe not). But that doesn’t matter, because come Saturday, you won’t be using this CD as a miniature silver frisbee when the sun is shining outside – oh no.
Instead, you’ll be screaming along with Josh and Tom, and rightly so, as first track ‘Still’ bursts opens with a catchy little riff; Bigwig‘s trademark sound suddenly emerges, a half-shout voice and some good backing vocals – with emotional lyrics masked by pickslides and fast chord structures. The slightly slower ‘smile’ manages to retain a lot more dignity than most pop-punk songs about the all now too common theme of relationships.
‘Flavor ice’ is also a damn good song, but I don’t think i’ll have any coffee if I go to New Jersey; ‘Freegan’ is a slightly non-pc critique of Vegan attitudes (hey, I put it nicely). Friends is the ballad of the CD, if it can be called that, and seems like a big fuck you to all those assholes you meet in your life at school/college. ‘Numbers’ takes on a far darker turn, and ‘sellout’ is dedicated to all those who didn’t believe in the band signing up, and manages to combine their angst with a decent tune.
Track 11, or ’13’, has one of my favourite first 40 seconds on any punk track, and charges the song with adrenaline; and in it has some ace backing vocals, especially near the end when everything stops for the singing. Other highlights are ‘Boardumb’, with a damn cool guitar solo at the start turning into one twice as fast – hey this guy must REALLY like his board*
nick
* I don’t miss mine. its completely wrecked.