Band : Big'N
Album title : Dying Breed
Label : African Tape!
Distributor : Mandaï Distribution
Release date : 07/02/2011
Release : CD (compilation)

With Dying Breed African Tape! Brings long overdue tribute to Chicago based Noise Rock act Big'N. Formed in 1990 by drummer Brian Wnukowski (whom would continue to make a name for himself with the bands Emperor Penguin and Haymarket Riot), guitarist Todd Johnson, bassist Chris Johnson and singer William Atkins, the quartet drew influences from both Classic Rock artists and contemporarily fellow Midwestern bands such as Tar and Dazzling Killmen (both of whom they shared stages with on several occasions).

The band were offered a deal for a 7-inch single after about a year's worth of gigs and rehearsals by the Headstagger label, whom released the self-titled debut single (later known as the “Godawful” single) in late 1990. In 1991 the Ratfish label issued the band's sophomore 7-inch single Hoss, and this was followed by a split (with Pencil) 7-inch single (also known as Tight One) through the Sponateous Combustion imprint. By the time the band recorded the Musket 7-inch (for that same label), Johnson had left and been replaced by Mike Chartrand. During a 1992 show at Chicago's Czar Czar venue, the band was approached by a representative from German label Gasoline Boost, offering the band to put out a full-length album through his label. So the band recorded the Razorback 7-inch (released in 1993) and their debut full-length LP Cutthroat (a 1994 release). In 1995 the band forged a collaboration between the German label and US label Skin Graft, which resulted in the joint release of the 1995 7-inch single Sides 1-4 (an AC/DC tribute, 4-way split with Shellac, Brice-Glace, and U.S. Maple), and the band's 1996 sophomore full-length Discipline Through Sound. Although a European tour had been in the planning, the band threw in the towel in 1997...but before that the guys still recorded the material for a split release with Baltimore based Oxes, which eventually saw the light of day in 1998 through the Box Factory label. After the band's demise, only Wnukowski remained in the music business. Besides the bands mentioned above, he also had tenures with the likes of Neutrino, Check Engine, and Runner. With Electronic band Emperor Penguin, he put out a couple of albums on the My Pal God label. He joined Haymarket Riot in 2004.

During their lifetime, Big'N weren't exactly given a break by the press, even if they were among the more important bands of the Chicago area in their genre, alongside more resounding bands such as the Jesus Lizard and Shellac. The influential All Music Guide gave the band's sophomore full-length a lousy 2 out of 5 stars, characterising it as a “very repetitive” affair “with an abrasive tone suited to fans of loud, no-frills Rock & Roll”, and claiming the singer's vocals to be utterly indecipherable. Luckily, people become more mellow in their assessments as time goes by, and an early review of this compilation of 16 tracks drawn from the band's early singles, outtakes from those sessions, and demo versions of songs of the band's albums (culled from the original master tapes and given a decent remastering – the album closing Emperor Penguin remix of “Chinese Jet Pilot” being an electronic-ally enhanced weirdo in the set...and also included in the set are truly wacky covers of AC/DC's “TNT” and “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”) has already enjoyed positive reception. Something which I can only repeat! There's a good reason of why this compilation of rarities and previously unreleased material by Big'N is bein released, by the way. It so happens the guys have reformed, and a new EP (entitled Spare The Horses, if I ain't mistaken) recorded by Steve Albini (yep, of Shellac fame) is to be released through African Tape! in April. That release is to be followed by the band's first 3 European shows ever...something to look forward to, for sure!

Fans of the whole Chicago Noise scene (and I know you're many out there), who happened to have missed this band the first time around, should by all means check out what's posted at (www.) myspace.com/bignchicagonoise. Music off the compilation album can also be found at (www.) africantape.com.

92/100

Tony.