Big 'N - Dying Breed
by Paul Waller
published: 2 / 3 / 2011

Label:
Africantape
Format: CD
intro
Underwhelming singles and rarities compilation from recently reformed 1990's hardcore act, Big N'
Do you remember a time when the likes of Unsane, the Melvins and those early Neurosis records were just about as devilishly heavy an album as you could expect to find in your local record store? Well, Chicago’s Big’N most definitely does. They revel in those vinyl ridden times. Whenever I read about Big N’ in the press they are always being touted as a noise band but in this day and age they are positively lightweights compared to what is out there right now. For me they are far closer to the likes of Shellac than Sunn O))). Just check out the rather spiffing 'Final Song' for evidence of their affection for Steve Albini’s crew. Then you have the kick arse stomp of 'Mite' and 'Tight One' that could scrape the cladding off the front of your house. Yet as exciting as it is for me to hear that the band have an album of new material coming out within the next few months, I must admit to being a tad underwhelmed by this here compilation of singles and unreleased tracks. For a start the two AC/DC covers are huge mistakes. They are real rotten eggs here. Bon Scott would not find the band's rendition of 'TNT' in particular in anyway a compliment if he were alive today. These two songs in particular suck many, many eggs and the inclusion of these tracks really jar with the feel of the rest of the record. It’s hard enough to make any compilation coherent but it’s as if Big ’N is purposely sabotaging their own release. This album is really for Big'N completists only; of which in an alternate universe I am sure there are millions. But here on Earth, well, I’m just not so sure.
Track Listing:-
1 Dirtfarmer2 Old Negro Work Song
3 Godawful
4 Tight One
5 Maggie Gives
6 TNT
7 Mealticket
8 Musket
9 Final Song
10 Mite
11 Untitled
12 Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
13 Hoss
14 Small Giant
15 King Hot Pants
16 Chinese Jet Pilot
Label Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/africantapehttp://www.africantape.com/
most viewed articles
current edition
Deb Googe and Cara Tivey - InterviewJack Frost - As Seen on TV
Nils Petter Molvaer - El Molino, Barcelona, 24/4/2025
John McKay - Interview
Editorial - July 2025
Robert Forster - Interview
When Rivers Meet - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Kruder and Dofmeister - Paral-lel 62, Barcelona, 27/4/2025
Skunk Anansie - Old Market, Brighton, 16/5/2025
Yardbirds - Des Plaines Theater, Des Plaines, 18/4/2025
most viewed reviews
current edition
Davey Woodward - Mumbo in the JumboVultures - Liz Kershaw Session 16.06.88
Billy Nomates - Metalhorse
HAIM - I Quit
Vinny Peculiar - Things Too Long Left Unsaid
Peter Doolan - I Am a Tree Rooted to the Spot and a Snake Moves Around Me,in a Circle
Pulp - More
Garbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Morcheeba - Escape The Chaos
Little Simz - Lotus
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart