It’s no exaggeration to say that the number of hot meals I have had in over four decades on this planet is smaller than the number of artistic endeavours that involve Peter Richard Adams. One of these was last year’s God Save The King album and another was the Beach Boys-inspired and punderfully-titled Pete Sounds, which featured Emma Howett of Worcester band Chevy Chase Stole My Wife. Adams and Howett are both members of One Big Family – therefore, it’s a super group, and one that has produced a super album.
One Big Family have been inspired by their own name by including the word ‘big’ in every song title on the album. Even the album’s title takes its name from one word in the band’s name. I would say that such uniformity is a big risk, but #1 – uniformity is by definition a sea of risk-free blandness and #2 – it’s unanimously accepted that naming songs and albums is not a hotbed of hazards. The worst that would happen in a band’s thought showering discussion is a short-lived rift between members, and this would in any case provide material for another song. And so the cycle continues…
Anyway, the third track on One is called ‘Big Sky’, and one wonders whether this is a nod to Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love, which has as its third track ‘The Big Sky’. ‘Big Deal’ – the first track on One – appears to clear up any doubt, as the repetition of the words ‘big deal’ halfway through sounds as if the literary pop genius has made a guest appearance. The chorus on first single ‘Big Crowds’ is a motto for all neurodivergent artists: “I don’t like big crowds / Unless they’re looking at me.” The aforementioned ‘Big Sky’ could have been by Sunderland post-punkers The Futureheads, who…*checks imaginary notes*…covered ‘Hounds of Love’.
News just in: “It won’t be a big Christmas this year.” So, don’t go assuming (like I did) that ‘Big Christmas’ is the usual rollicking nonsense about sleighbells and snow – it rhymes ‘celebration’ with ‘condensation’ for Jesus Christ’s sake! Just before I read that ‘Big Trouble’ was meant to sound like Talking Heads, I thought, “Ooh, this sounds like Talking Heads.” And the B-52s. So, that means it’s double great. ‘Big Crash’ starts with big guitars and gated reverb snares – think Cutting Crew’s ‘(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight’. It concludes with the words “It’s a peacetime warning sign / There’s gonna be a derailment” – a comedown from all the Slash-outside-a-church-in-the-desert air guitar you will have spent the preceding three and a half minutes doing. Finally, if No Doubt formed a super band with Kelly Clarkson, they might produce something half as good as ‘Big Lies’.
One Big Family have stated: ‘We are a manufactured band. We’ve been put together in a cynical attempt to procure your investment. Your emotional investment. Then your financial investment.’ As well as investing your emotions, you could indeed invest some pounds by buying One. You could buy One times two: one for you and a friend. Sound advice. Literally.
One is out on Bandcamp on 1st May
By: Neil Laurenson