Big Business

If, after getting drunk on cheap whiskey you stumbled onto a highway, an earthquake started, and then you were struck by an oncoming eighteen wheeler, you might be able to understand the massive force, chaos, and rock and roll mayhem behind Big Business's debut full-length Head For The Shallow.

Big Business is a two-piece hardcore-influenced rock act from Seattle featuring Jared Warren of Karp and the Whip on bass and vocals and Coady Willis of Murder City Devils on drums. The two combine a heavy, sludgy, and rumbling bass tone with tenacious and violent drumming to create a furious and exciting rock band. Think Drive Like Jehu if they stripped down their sound to just bass and drums and listened to nothing but 70's hard rock and 80's metal.

Producer Phil Ek, who has worked with bands like Built To Spill and Modest Mouse, gives the instruments an unpolished and raw sound, but the really interesting aspect of the production is the vocals. Jared Warren’s voice is wrapped in reverb and a bit of echo to give it a huge 80's metal or arena rock sound. So while he is screaming his lungs out, it sounds more Motorhead than Cookie Monster.

The only problem with this album is that the bass and drum combo does limit Big Business. Unlike bands such as Death From Above 1979 and Smoke And Smoke, Big Business does not offer much variation to their rock juggernaut formula (except lead guitar on a couple tracks), leaving some of the album feeling too repetitive. Still, if you want a band that knows how to rock, throw up a middle finger, and party harder than Courtney Love, check this out.