The Big Pink have been making the rounds on the hype wire for quite a while now, particularly in the UK. As such, when their debut full length, A Brief History Of Love, dropped last month, we here at HAD finally decided that it was time to sit down and have a listen. We have not disappointed.
The record, which is the product of a UK duo who have gradually expanded their instrumental entourage over the past two years, seemingly pulls in every recognizable force in British music in the past twenty years and amalgamates it into one glorious, out of control noise bomb. There's a bit of shoegaze, a bit of madchester, a bit of brit pop, a bit of twee. In a way, this makes it almost impossible to put a finger on the band's influences, because there are simply too many.
That being said, the band manages to take in all these influences while still managing not to be derivative. Their sound is refreshingly inventive, enjoyable, and unique. At the same time, the wide range of influences manage to give it a sound that gives the illusion of familiarity on first listen. Indeed, from track to track, the band manages to be anthemic, touchingly brittle, aggressively beat driven, and completely atmospheric. It is a record that runs the gamut of musical emotion, and does so with expertise.
In many ways, A Brief History Of Love is the record that the American market has been waiting for: so many British music trends have proved evasive on these shores because of their singular or overwhelming vibe. The American music market is always more friendly, it seems, to bands who can deliver a variety of sounds, and aren't stuck in one image or scene. By contrast, it seems that the British are more than happy (even enthusiastic) to embrace music movements, and it has driven highly different music cultures on both sides of the Atlantic.
The Big Pink, then, are delivering exactly what the American scene is looking for: dynamic pop music that covers a range of genres, and defies classification. Regardless of what you're looking for in a record (okay, save a country twang - we'll give you that), it's all here. The band has managed to produce a record that is as enjoyable as it is exciting, and if you're not already, it should be the next record you listen to.
The Big Pink are on tour now.
The Big Pink - Fall 2009 North American Dates
Nov 18 EL REY LOS ANGELES, CA
Nov 19 DJ SET ORIGAMI VINYL HOLLYWOOD, CA
Nov 20 DETROIT BAR COSTA MESA, CA
Nov 21 DJ SET M THEORY SAN DIEGO, CA
Nov 21 CASBAH SAN DIEGO, CA
Nov 23 LARIMER LOUNGE DENVER, CO
Nov 23 DJ SET TWIST AND SHOUT DENVER, CO
Nov 25 7TH STREET ENTRY MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Nov 27 EMPTY BOTTLE CHICAGO, IL
Nov 28 MAGIC STICK DETROIT, MI
Nov 29 EE’S PALACE TORONTO, ON
Nov 30 LA SALSA ROSA MONTREAL, QUE
Dec 1 DJ SET NEWBURY COMICS BOSTON, MA
Dec 1 PARADISE BOSTON, MA
Dec 3 BOWERY BALLROOM NEW YORK, NY
Dec 4 MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURGH BROOKLYN, NY
Dec 5 BLACK CAT WASHINGTON, DC
Dec 6 OHNNY BRENDAS PHILADELPHIA, PA
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