The following was composed by Bernie T. Fan. Bernie is more than a staple of the music scene in Chicago. He is a staple gun.
"On the couch. Nowhere to go. Nothing to do. Go for a walk. Get out of stupor. Down Lincoln Avenue. Lounge Ax. Someone's brother's band. No idea. Stumble on stage. Loud. Relentless. Brutal. Glorious. Thirty minutes. Get up. Thank brother. Walk home. Different stupor."
Big'N is the noise rocker's dream. "Trophy" starts out like an angrier version of Slint (yes, angrier than Rodan). Midwestern influences run amok in this record (Shellac, Dazzling Killmen, the whole of the Louisville scene and even a dash of Tortoise added to the guitar in songs like "El Diablo III"). More embittered, dark and less ideological than the rest of their influences, lyrical content runs the gamut of depression; cursed love, the burden of life, parental preachings and of course, the inevitable deathwish. This oppressive feeling works quite well with the scorching vocals and stop/start guitar antics. The result is a magnified passionate angst in their music which is emminent even in the quieter moments. You can picture the live performance simultaneously: lunging forward like caged animals and sweating their soul all over their razor sharp guitar strings and splintered drumsticks.
Big'N are currently appearing on the first of Skin Graft's much-anticipated split single and comic book series of AC/DC songs. So are U.S. Maple, Brise-Glace, and Shellac.
The record was produced by Steve Albini at the Chicago Recording Company. Artwork by Paul Nitsche. This is a cooperative release between Skin Graft and Germany's Gasoline Boost.