BIG BUSINESS

I am amazed at what bassist/vocalist Jared Warren (KARP) and drummer Coady Willis (THE MURDER CITY DEVILS) have done with such a minimal set-up. BIG BUSINESS' "Here Come the Waterworks" is catchy, full of life, and undeniably rocking. And we are not talking about the sludgy assault of a bass/drums act like BLACK COBRA either (though said act is powerful on "Bestial" for different reasons). For all the monstrous drumming and delectable distorted bass, this one is all about songwriting. You will move along with the music, revel in the low-end pummel, and remember the melodies long after you've put the CD on the shelf, that is, if you can even keep it there without tossing it back in for additional listens.

Just listen to the vibrancy and tunefulness of a song like "Just as the Day was Dawning", and try not to say, "How the hell did they pull this off with only bass and drums?" Granted, there are a few accents here and there; what sounds like the odd guitar line and studio effect, but it takes nothing away from the fact that this is a house built from bass and drums. Warren is a gifted vocalist in the way that his edge is ragged and tuneful, not to mention that his style falls somewhere around Roger Daltrey (THE WHO) crossed with Kirk Windstein (CROWBAR, DOWN). But do not for a second think that "melody" equates to softness, as "Here Come the Waterworks" is one heavy album, whether it be the hard-as-iron drumming or the fat, woofer-busting bass lines. If it's an up-tempo jam that you desire, look no further than "Hands Up", another prime example of the duo's knack for rockin' the fuck out and leaving the listener with a tune that will have you shouting right along. But it is on the nine-minute "I'll Give you Something to Cry About" on which the act unleashes its masterpiece. Brooding and passionate, the song makes one think of a fuzzed out and melancholy Irish drinking song reinterpreted with a MELVINS bent.

"Here Come the Waterworks" is a disc that you must hear to believe. Trust me, you'll be sold; it is an approach to heavy music that is fresh and invigorating. It is also one the more unique albums I've heard in quite some time.