Big Deal "Lights Out" album review on High Browse

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Big Deal "Light Out" album review

 

“Lights out” is the debut album from London boy/girl group Big Deal. Normally when you hear of a boy/girl band you think of the fairly awful The Ting Tings. In this case you are looking at the much more talented outfit of Kasey Underwood & Alice Costello. Both play the guitar with Alice on main vocals & Kasey lending a hand on backing vocals, even occasionally singing the intro. (see “Swoon  & “Summer Cold”). They make quite a big, distinct sound for such a small set-up.

Kicking things off is the catchy single “Distant Neighborhood” which bounces along like a summery breeze. The intro to “Chair” sounds like it’s been taken from the Juno soundtrack before the clear electric guitar kicks in. Throughout, the guitar parts sound like intro’s to Smashing Pumpkins’ stunning “Siamese Dream” album most notably on “Cool Like Kurt” which it sounds like a first cousin on “Disarm”. They really up the ante on the second half of the album with the lazy, bass heavy, “Locked Up”. My personal favourite is the majestic “Seraphine”, with Kasey Underwood singing the intro & Alice Costello taking the reins revealing that “I could last forever in your arms”. It hard to think of a better album closer than the magnificent “Pi” which sounds like the intro to another early ‘Pumpkins track “Rhinoceros” without the drum & bass.

I can’t help feel that adding the drum & bass to their sound, their second album would be something to really look forward to. Their overall bright, bouncy, grungy tunes bring a smile to your face, sometimes that’s just all one needs.

72/100

Albums Of The Year 2011

1. Wild Beasts - Smother
2. Tom Waits - Bad As Me
3. The Antlers - Burst Apart
4. Bombay Bicycle Club - A Different Kind Of Fix
5. The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar
6. Bell X1 - Bloodless Coup
7. Arctic Monkeys - Suck It & See
8. The Horrors - Skying
9. TV On The Radio - Nine Types Of Light
10. Elbow - Build A Rocket Boys!
11. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
12. Florence & The Machine - Ceremonials
13. Saso - Exitudes
14. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
15. Radiohead - The King Of Limbs
16. Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know
17. tUnE yArDs - Whokill
18. Esit Persued By A Bear - Exit Persued By A  Bear
19. Cashier No 9 - To The Death Of Fun
20. Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto