BIG SPECIAL SHARPEN UP WITH SURPRISE NEW ALBUM ‘NATIONAL AVERAGE’

ALBUM REVIEW | BIG SPECIAL – NATIONAL AVERAGE by Michaela Roper

BIG SPECIAL’s sophomore long-play ‘NATIONAL AVERAGE’ is infused with true Black Country grit, the inticing element of surprise, and an array of sharply-produced electronic instrumentals, in a brain-challenging, hypnotic commentary on the darkness of the modern age. Any album released out of the blue, purely under the guise of a pixelated projected picture of egg and chips, is destined to turn heads, that’s without question.

The blueprint that offered up the formula for their debut release ‘POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES’ has been manipulated into wavy lines carrying funky bass rhythms, sleazy keyboard drives, and chuckle-worthy digs lyrical from frontman Joe Hicklin.

After a week spent teasing the album by projecting a giant image of egg and chips across various landmarks in the capital, the Black Country duo threw themselves into a surprise album run that has been met with applause all round.

‘NATIONAL AVERAGE’ boasts an effortlessly strong three-track run, as opening tune ‘THE MESS’ draws you in with a slimy vocal darkness before landing a punch right in the gut. It’s a track that truly defines BIG SPECIAL’s attitude – brooding, angsty, and overflowing with layered instrumentals and drum beats that strut in and out with commanding force. The haunting distortion that sits behind stints of socially astute lyricism establishes a prodigious soundscape that seeps effortlessly into the dark cracks of each track on the album.

The album’s leading track ‘GOD SAVE THE PONY’ has been cemented in the 6 Music playlist as a twangy rock-infused trill that pokes fun at modern society, backed by playful guitar jangles and comedic spoken word stints. Each lyrical jab might seem reminiscent of the likes of IDLES, Soft Play and a less pompous take on Yard Act’s work, but stands its own ground surrounded by a cacophony of distorted guitar fuzz and squealing synth. The album introduces itself in classic BIG SPECIAL fashion; punchy, in-your-face, and laden with spoken word that plants thoughtful seeds of reflection.

The presence this album takes up falls nothing short of huge, but incredibly well-deserved. Tracks like ‘PIGS PUDDIN’ and ‘YESBOSS’ cut through the sludgy stigma surrounding a working-class upbringing with ease, whilst shining a mirror upon lived experiences that gleam with raw passion and a well-informed aversion to the cultural hierarchy. There’s a sense of bark and bite that follows through each climax and grungy breakdown, never leaving a loose end untied across the 46 minute runtime.

The punky duo mellow things out with ‘JUDAS SONG’. The track encompasses electronic pulsation almost akin to LCD Soundsystem whilst maintaining their working class grit. It ebbs and flows between rapid drum efforts and beating lyrical delivery, and steadier synthesised instrumentals, yet still packs a punch as a breather track mid album. ‘I ONCE HAD A KESTREL’ follows right in tow, a minute-long snippet of spoken word that could be inserted into any indie film with a dark colour grade and troubled character. The instrumental transcends beyond gruelling drums and hard-fire guitars, offering up a thought provoking break amongst the chaos of punk rock.

Joe Hicklin’s West Country brogue is a mere accompaniment to Callum Maloney’s tight efforts on the drums as each beat works like a mechanical cog in a musical machine; as a duo, these boys work like a unit in tandem to broadcast a sense of sardonicism, assisted by moments of deadpan delivery amongst slabs of bass. Their intentions are clear; create a militant sonic delivery that is irresistibly catchy, but carries a moral message that stands out from the mainstream. BIG SPECIAL have adopted a marmite auditory experience, but love it or hate it, they speak the truth.

‘NATIONAL AVERAGE’ closes out with bounding drum work and a funk-infused vulnerability, in an insightful, stare-out-the-window contemplative track that rounds off an outstanding selection of emblematic scrapbooks to be added to their punk-rock profile. With assistance from Rachel Goswell, the shoegaze spearhead formerly of Slowdive, three great minds come together in ‘THIN HORSES’ to offer a mellow final note brimming with gentler vocal work and an ethereal sonic essence. The track serves as a welcome tonal shift to an album boasting disruption and upheaval, and shines a light on the duo’s musical maturity as they explore a breathtaking wave of realisation and calmness.

The project may have flown the nest in total secrecy, hitting playlists as a surprise, but there’s no doubt that two great minds crafted an incredibly well-rounded selection of heart-thumping tracks that wouldn’t sound out of place in a dingy underground venue somewhere in the dark corners of the UK.