When turbulent relationships and writing patterns cause rivets within bands, it often leads for one of two outcomes. The album may suffer because of it, it falters and stumbles just to a disruption within the dynamic, rather than explode, the project implodes, sucking in on itself bringing with it all inspiration. On the flip side of the tragic coin, there is the potential to create something that in itself is very honest, is very raw and captures exactly the tension that was evoked by band members at the time. In the run up to its release Say Yes, the long-awaited follow-up to 2013’s June Gloom, Big Deal went through similar disruptive motions. From the break-up of relationships within the band, the departure of band members, the fall out with their previous record label Mute and ultimately the theft of Kacey Underwood’s laptop which held the demo recordings for the album. Due to the fact this began as an entirely self-funded project, it suddenly became a very risky ordeal.

For an example of these fractured relationships and follow up albums, you do not need to look much further than 2015’s return of The Libertines and their album Anthems For Doomed Youth – by all means and intents, an album that documented the loss of any raw energy. Big Deal have managed to find the positive spin on the splintering for the vast part of Say Yes proving that sometimes there is a light on the other side of the darkness.

What Big Deal apparently capture from the off within Say Yes is an appreciation for tension, and rawness and develop a grit to the sound that apparently incorporates all the tension that riddled through the band during the writing process. Opener, ‘Hold Your Fire’ ironically does anything other than hold fire, in a similar vein to Blood Red Shoes, front woman Alice Costelloe rings her vocals upon a lamenting and hard-hitting rhythm section. It carries a brutality to it which is seldom found in music, there is an overarching feel that this song, along with the vast majority of the album, really and truly matters. To pack emotion and purpose into vocals is something that often stumps bands, proving to be a barrier that causes songs to hit this vague roof of plasticity.

Big Deal’s sound over the years has morphed into the muscular realms, adding a deep-rooted sentiment to the whole performance. Whereas the 2011 debut Lights Out found beauty in the quiet and sensual, as time has progressed their albums have increasingly broadened and since hiring a rhythm section for LP two, it has now grown to incorporate Peace’s Dom Boyce. The new substantiality to the music does a fantastic job of emphasising the soul and fervour. The previously released single, ‘Say Yes’ puts the truth in this statement, guitars and vocals howl within the chorus, drums plough around it, bolstering it further than I believe even Big Deal could imagine. The rawness is utterly evident as Costelloe yells: “I won't tell you, won't tell you / Everything works out right”.

Kacey Underwood has previously commented as to how Say Yes is the final verse of the first chapter of Big Deal. Whereas their previous albums have documented the throws of their relationship, since its collapse during the writing process of this piece, the duo now find themselves in death’s throws, thus adding to the drama of the album.

The group do find themselves curbing the muscular sound at times, with good reason they find themselves swimming within the wash of neo-psychedelia and shoegaze, the verse of ‘Saccharine’ outlining this with its shimmering chorus-fuelled guitar. Phased sounds ring out through to monumental choruses with stabbing motions. The album offers subtle variations in sound showing that not only Big Deal now have the potential to write new material but similarly, they can mesh old sounds in with their new experiments, ‘Lux’ acting as testament to this with its washing Beach House glitter that shines like the rain upon a spring leaf. The production of the slower elements that fall within the centrefold of the album give the album a tasteful addition, ‘Veronica’ swells and glows, rhythm sections stand alongside echoed guitars meaning that the whole musicality of the performance does not get lost under a wash of reverb.

‘V.I.T.R.I.O.L’ carries a harshness that would make the Jesus and Mary Chain wince in pride, there is something fantastically Psycho Candy within this piece, it is disturbing from the offset with its abrasive guitar sound and dryness in the drums. Whether the fact that Big Deal wear their influences so proudly upon their sleeve is a good thing or a bad thing is undecided. On the one hand it diminishes the creativity, however on the other it gives the album a circular strength that they may have missed out on should it be otherwise. There is a lot of diversity to the album which really gives it a distinctively interesting sound.

Where the album wavers is typically towards the back end and Big Deal are no exception, ‘Still My Dream’ becomes slightly lethargic as it seemingly drags on for an unnecessary five and a half minutes, never really progressing too much. ‘Idyllwild’ does similar, lasting for around eight and a half minutes, it is clear to see why Big Deal felt such a lunge was necessary but ultimately, as an album closer it falls on the slightly mundane side of the slow, romantic tangent. You cannot question the heartfelt poetics which are ultimately the closing comments to Costelloe and Underwood’s relationship: ”I never stopped falling in love / With you / And I could never give enough / For you” therefore the necessity to keep the album going almost feels like the desperate injection into a love that has worn away. The mournful string section in the final couple of minutes exaggerates this notion entirely. It truly feels like the closing of a chapter.

As Big Deal return, they find the raw energy that music like this requires. It is clear from the start that this album matters, it is a sink or swing moment for Big Deal that breathes passion and soul with every chord, every melody and every thud of the percussion. It bleeds muscularity and enters realms of their former shoegaze pulses demonstrating a diversity. What is interesting is that as a band, they do not get completely lost within their own hardships, they express these and deliver these in an entirely engaging fashion asides from the final song which stumbles along the path of self-righteousness but, it is easy to see why. For an exceptionally cathartic album, they have tied in every release required to make a solid album and, if you’re fortunate enough to catch these live at The Hope and Ruin on June 18, count yourself lucky.
Tom Churchill

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