Big Man - Big Man

​Big Man

Big Man
​self-released; 2023

​By My Nguyen

Big Man is Lee Jackson and Ralph Platt who originally came together decades ago to form the punk band (chaos) when they were in their teens. Since then, they have stayed in touch and Big Man is the result of their long friendship and musical bond over time. They are releasing their self-titled album Big Man, which is nine tracks filled with the darker side of humanity. The record itself consists of electronic soundscapes with rock and touches of orchestral elements. Together with the spoken word-like vocals, this made for an oddball sound filled with quirky and whimsical moments.

Big Man begins with “Big man,” where a big rumbling bass comes into this track alongside some percolating beats. Jackson’s vocals sound very interesting. There was a touch of funk to this track which I thought was great. The lyrics were also very humorous. The synths and wonky vibes really worked well together. I think the spoken word vocals really do a lot to set the stage to this song. Everything was a balance for a great vibe. The horns also sounded top-notch and were a great addition. Some ambient keys and synths come in for an atmospheric vibe on “Under my floorboards.” Next, some beats roll in alongside some guitars. Here, Jackson’s vocals are an octave lower. It made for a great moody sound. This rock ballad proved to be emotionally powerful. Some more scintillating synths arrive at the start of “Living on a powder keg.” Next, some melodious keys reel us in. Jackson’s vocals come across in a robotic quality instantly reminded me a lot of the ‘80s. I thought there was a retro vibe to this track that worked really well in this instance.

Some rumbling bass and beats struts into the start of “Small.” The beat was very jaunty and once Jackson’s vocals settles in, it clinches this. The sauntering groove and upbeat execution of the vocals made for a great listen. The reverberating guitars also sounded great here. Some gritty synths draw listeners closer to the sounds on “Omega Man.” The cello and other orchestral instruments put on display a moody vibe. Jackson’s vocals come across like a chant. This made for an exciting sound. Some glitchy electronic vibes settle into “15 Oxymorons.” Next, some keys and guitars come into this song with a soaring vibe. The ambience was very dark. The glitchy electronic vibes continue once Jackson’s vocals enter.

On “Metamorphosis,” more glitchy electronics and percolating beats arrive at the start of this track. The electric sound meanders for a bit. Jackson’s distorted vocals come in with a robotic twist. The electronics were layered and made for a gritty sound. On “I told you so,” more gritty synths arrive and some loose guitar riffs spiral overhead. The electronics were very glitchy and gave off a haunting sound. On this rock/electronic track, there was an operatic quality to the vocals, which made for an epic sound. Some pounding tribal beats enter the sound on “The neighbour next door.” The instrumentals were shimmering and made for an electrifying sound. The horns were also very ear-pleasing. I thought it really added some pizzazz to this overall track. Once more Jackson’s spoken words vocals enter for a great vibe. The band sends us off with this exciting closer.

​Jackson and Platt have had a long friendship and their bond is evident here as their collaboration feels very tight-knit. They each are assigned their own roles in this project: Platt thinks up the storyline and lyrics together with the artwork while Jackson is the composer, who records and is the vocals. Together the melding is fantastic as the witty lyrics and Jackson’s deadpan execution makes this something worthy of exploring. This was a great start from the band and I look forward to seeing more from this duo soon!

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