CD Reviews

Big Troubles | Romantic Comedy

Slumberland (2011)

By GARRETT MARTIN | October 12, 2011

3.0 Stars

I was worried when I heard that '80s jangle-pop maestro Mitch Easter was producing Big Troubles' second album. The sound he's so connected to doesn't seem compatible with the kind of excellent lo-fi shoegazer pop to be found on the band's first LP, Worry. And yes, gone is the "Guided by Voices raiding Kevin Shields's pedals" vibe of that record. They might have lost a little bit of character, but thankfully Big Troubles remain reliable writers of catchy pop songs. "Misery" and its grab bag of hooks could've been a hit on 120 Minutes and college radio in the pre-grunge era, with morose lyrics and sensitive breathy vocals to reel in the sadsack students, and excellent riffs for everybody else. "You'll Be Laughing" is the lo-fi Slumberland version of Fleetwood Mac's "Gypsy." Romantic Comedy's simple guitar melodies wrap around steady rhythms, with occasional hints of fuzz and ephemeral background noise counterpointing the tender vocals. Big Troubles are young Americans stealing what the British stole from us, in the process living up to the standards of an era they're too young to remember.

BIG TROUBLES + YOUNG PRISMS + CUFFS | T.T. the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge | October 19 @ 8:30 pm | 18+ | $10 | 617.492.0082

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ARTICLES BY GARRETT MARTIN

BIG TROUBLES | ROMANTIC COMEDY | October 12, 2011
I was worried when I heard that '80s jangle-pop maestro Mitch Easter was producing Big Troubles' second album.

LET'S WRESTLE | NURSING HOME | June 22, 2011
Let's Wrestle are another pack of young British guitar owners, and although they haven't crafted much of an identity outside of being amiable wiseasses, that's all you need if your songs are catchy enough.

TIMES NEW VIKING | DANCER EQUIRED | April 27, 2011
Times New Viking's tour of America's legendary indie-rock labels continues with their first release for Merge after a few albums on Matador and then Siltbreeze.

LIFEGUARDS | WAVING AT THE ASTRONAUTS | March 09, 2011
Hey, it's another Robert Pollard record. Today must be a day. We can't even joke about how prolific this guy is because we've heard 'em all a million billion times already.

KURT VILE | SMOKE RING FOR MY HALO | March 03, 2011
It's weird to write about a guy who operates this close to the classic singer-songwriter template and not even consider the lyrics.

See all articles by: GARRETT MARTIN

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