We all get too interested in classifying bands. There is this constant need to pigeonhole bands into some weird genre binary. Big Awesome is an example of this. Their 2012 EP, Birdfeeder, was a great record. It stuck pretty close to the standard punk/emo tropes. As a result, they are now called an emo band. This isn’t innaccurate, I suppose. It’s not entirely accurate either. They just happened to come along in the boom cycle of the “emo revival” bullshit. In reality, Big Awesome is a great indie/punk band that has a lot to offer.
Party On, their debut full length, is a melding of various genres under the “punk” umbrella. They’re taking influence from indie, emo, alternative, and straight ahead melodic punk rock. It is a guitar and riff driven record that sometimes takes a detour into the world of twinkling and noodling.
Fans of things ranging from Latterman to Samiam will find things they can get down to here. Meanwhile, Dikembe and Algernon Cadwallader fans can too. The two years Big Awesome spent between this and their first EP was definitely time well spent. They definitely found a great middle ground that will keep fans of the Birdfeeder EP around, while still letting them grow beyond the strict confines of any specific genre.
I guess, to be succinct, Party On is a great record that works no matter where you try to slot it.
Team Reasonable 