Big Special – Postindustrial Hometown Blues
Reviewed By: Denis Bridger
Review Score: 10
“Music is the international language “ and lets hope many get to hear what Big Special have got to say.
In modern musical time in the UK, there have always been artists who have commented on social issues; Judas Priest with British Steel (inspired by the constant noise of the British Steel industry in Sheffield at the time and not wanting to work there like their father’s had ), Chumbawumba or Billy Bragg with their anti-Margaret Thatcher/ capitalism albums, The Streets (Mike Skinner) with his 90s hip hop rave commentary, or more recently, Idles, Sleaford Mods, with their angry shouting about the current state of affairs and daily life, and Ren with his life of sickness and turmoil.
Now, Big Special have landed, with their humorous, hard-edged, sarcastic, optimistic, melodic-yet-shouty view of British life and the struggles of the cost of living crisis, obesity, apathy, working to no ends and never making those ends meet. They are brutally honest and I think we can all relate to the stories told on Postindustrial Hometown Blues, as many of our towns and cities fall into decline.
I am slightly biased when it comes to Big Special, partly because they are from England and I am proud of the British artists that have managed to conquer, despite being a tiny island (and partly because I have been a huge fan since they popped up sometime last year). This record may seem at first dystopian, depressing, and a bit down in the dumps, but there is comedy, irony, sarcasm, positivity, and hope. All of which is done in a quintessential British fashion.
Big Special are duo Joe Hicklin and Callum Moloney. They come from Birmingham, like Black Sabbath, in the West Midlands of England. It is Britain’s second biggest city after London and was a powerhouse during the industrial revolution and is also known as the Black Country (due to the coal ridden black skies of the Industrial Age). A lot has changed since the days of heavy industry, but has it got any better? We shall find out.
Joe Hicklin, heard ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ when he was 6 and Freddie singing “Mama, I just killed a man.“ This ignited a love for words and the creative way in which they can be used beyond the usual daily mumbo jumbo. Later, he discovered Jimi Hendrix, whom he says was an underrated lyricist (you don’t hear that often!). Working backwards, discovering blues legends; Son House, Charley Patton and of course, the original 27 club member, Robert Johnson and also country music pariah William Elliot Whitmore, who grew up on a farm and wrote about death, the daily struggles of survival (which obviously struck a note with Joe, who could associate with Whitmore in some way).
Along with music, Joe, like many of us, came across Kerouac’s ‘ On the Road’ and Charles Bokowski, who was a 40 year old guy who worked during the day and drank and wrote poetry at night. All these factors combined, Joe Hicklin started on his personal journey of writing poetry and trying to emulate the struggles of living in an industrial town, the daily work struggles, social worries, and general shittiness of living in a British town or city these days.
Now, there was only one problem with Mr. Joe Hecklin taking his poetry to the masses, and that was his accent or dialect. If you have ever heard someone from The Black Country then you may know it is a ‘Brummy’ accent. I have friends who come from Birmingham and it is a very distinctive accent and sometimes a little comedic, and Joe found this to be something to overcome, as he felt ashamed of his accent. In reflection, it is a very melodic accent that holds a sense of rhythm. Once Joe had overcome his insecurities, it was just a matter of going for it, being honest, being funny, and speaking the truth. He has now definitely found his feet and is using it to the max.
Joe had an old band mate from college who he called upon, Callum Moloney, who was making some headway as a musician. He was making money and when approached by Joe to maybe do something together, he wasn’t sure if he should take the risk of starting from the beginning again, but when Joe played his demos and the very excellent ‘This Here Ain’t Water’ Callum was like “fuck everything else, I need to do this”… and they certainly have done it in a dramatic fashion, to say the least.
There are fifteen songs on this album that cover a range of topics. You will hear punk, rock n roll, some electronics, spoken word, excellent music ,and some truth and humour about daily life, living in down trodden towns and cities, which could be anywhere. I have a feeling that this review is going to be slightly leftfield compared to my usual pieces. So lets see what’s going on.
Black Country Gothic
The song opens with romping drums and a driving bass and stomps for almost three minutes. A story of the Black Country Industrial Age, stories of daily life, poverty, and kicking stones for fun. Joe shouts his poetry from the heights. Maybe this story could be compared to the decline of the Motor City (Detroit), maybe not so hardcore, but a similar story. It’s fast, furious, and over pretty quick but makes an impact.
I Mock Joggers
This track seems to be about those who may make fun of those who are proactive in life, whilst doing very little in their own lives. Very often we mock that which we do not understand.
Desperate Breakfast
A song about trying to force down that meal before you go off to do that job you probably don’t really like. That daily grind that people say is character building. The mundanity of routine that we all have to suffer. There is a hint of the Artic Monkeys in the chorus, and Joe’s inimitable shouty poetry in the verses… it simply works and compliments.
Shithouse
This song is a self-lament. As Joe says, “It’s about a breakdown, addressed to myself or to the sky I thought I was getting better .” He also says it’s about the personal depression of the UK. Probably many of us Brits would agree that the UK is a bit of a ‘shithouse’ right now. Sadly! An anthem of a tune, bound to have audiences shouting along at full volume.
This Here Ain’t Water
A track about addiction and mental health. This is the track that bought Joe and Callum together and it is already an anthem. It is a massive track, big sound, aggressive, poignant and brings home about how we are force-fed a lot of shite from the media, who criticise the poor and of course about just how bad UK weather is. If you like rain…
My Shape (Blocking The Light)
A musical poem about being out of work( or maybe a dog… or both). Listen and make up your own mind. A haunting piece.
Black Dog/White Horse
Already a massive tune in the UK and Europe. Joe really has a great voice, whether he’s shouting his poetry or singing with passion and depth. They create big sounds that are eclectic but comforting. It is perfect, not too much or too little. A favourite track among many favourites. I’d like to see a black dog on a white horse.
Broadcast: Time Away
A warning about social media, talent shows. People with little talent wanting to be famous. Poetry set to perfect music with a poignant message to boot.
ILL
A song about being poor and feeling inadequate in life and needing just a little more. This track sounds again a little bit Artic Monkeys in feel (especially in the chorus). Another very catchy song. I can see many of these songs being big sing-alongs at gigs and probably a lot of jumping too. Big Special do make catchy tunes, alright.
I Am The ‘Mongrel’ I Could Have Been
You just have to listen and you’ll get it. Spoken word which oozes anger and passion… and these words are not for nothing. We’re all mongrels after all, aren’t we?
Butcher’s Bin
Who know what this is about. Another really catchy track. Joe is a genius with words. Even if you don’t really know what he means, it seems to make perfect sense.
Dust Off/Start Again
The English way… stiff upper lip and all that jazz. Basically work until you die, you can’t let the side down. The words and music just flow so fluidly. The feeling in the way Joe tells his stories is enthralling.
Trees
A song about buying weed. A humorous tale of scoring from a comedic character. An uptempo number. These guys write really well. Perfect harmony between words and music. A True compliment. It’s not very often you get to chuckle when listening to music (unless it’s really bad). A refreshing song, uplifting, funny and another sure-fire winner live.
For The Birds
A relaxing piece of poetry for the soul. Sad but thoughtful. A time for a little inner reflection. Maybe another song about addiction (as he says he’ll never be clean).
Dig
I listen to Joe’s words and I can connect. The fear of not achieving what we would like (maybe), but there is an air of positivity. We gotta keep digging and digging until we get to where we want to be. A big tune to end a great album. More sing-alongs for the audience. It feels like an encore tune already.
CONCLUSION
Joe Hicklin is a great wordsmith, so I feel that what I write may be lacking somewhat. Nevertheless, This record is going to put Big Special firmly on the map and follows those aforementioned masters of words and music that have been driven by the social climate of the day in the UK – those who are willing to speak truth and bring what people think (but maybe don’t say to the forefront), often with humour and a dark reality that hits home.
I knew when I first heard them that they would be well received. The songs stay in your head long after they have finished. I would say that, in the present climate of social unrest, a cost of living crisis, war and everything else, that this album is needed to say what’s needed to be said, but also to keep it black comedy (as usually is the case with British humour). These stories are about England, but I think many around the world can associate with some of the stories we hear here.
If you are into music that makes you think, this is it. If you like rock n roll, this is that. If you like a cheeky dance when no one is looking, this will do that. If you like to sing-along and maybe smile a little, there is plenty of that also. This record is uplifting. If you are a traditional Metalhead, who loves shredding, drum blasting, screaming vocals and the like, then this may be a black sheep in your collection, but it is a worthy black sheep to have around. Maybe it will inspire some of you to start creative writing or maybe to just look around the place where you live a bit more.
This is an optimistic album wrapped around the sad and dark truths of everyday life, which excludes none. Enjoy the stories and check them live if they come near you. They are touring the UK and Europe this year, so catch them if you can. They will be very worth it, I am sure of that!
Postindustrial Hometown Blues is availabe now via So Recordings.