Music Review: Big Bang - From Acid To Zen

Gold-selling Norwegian trio Big Bang have earned a huge following in their native country that has spread out across Northern Europe. Three studio albums released through the Warner Norway label resulted in several top selling singles including “Girl From Oslo” which reached number one in their homeland. When Radio Radio TV Sleep went straight to the top as well, it became the best selling live album in Norway’s history. Two more studio albums Poetic Terrorism (2005) and Too Much Yang, released last year, both also stormed to the top spot. Big Bang had caused exactly the impact their name suggested. They regularly play to crowds of 25,000 and with this sort of pedigree it seems the perfect time for them to cross the Atlantic and take on the States.

Their latest studio album From Acid To Zen (Grand Sport Records) is the first to be released in the USA and shows that they are more than well equipped to make quite an impact. Think Tom Petty or the west coast but with raw edged power-pop/rock and you have some of the essence of what makes Big Bang so successful. The combination works well and with From Acid To Zen they have come up with a set that has no dips in form, no filler - just solidly written songs.

Right from the off with “Early December” you know this is a band with a special quality. Despite the influences they have their own distinctive sound, feel good chiming guitars, solid well worked riffs, and arena perfect rock songs. “Wild Bird” is wonderfully evocative, almost hippyish, sounding west coast whilst singing of Norway’s northern lights. Lead singer and chief songwriter Oystein Greni explains that it has, ‘the mysticism of traditional Norwegian folklore with a classic west coast sound’.

“The One”, rich with chiming guitar, is followed by one of the album’s highlights “Saturn Freeway”, a hazy sixties vibe that brings to life the album’s title. “Hurricane Boy” breaks the spell as the band step on the power yet keep it underpinned with a strong melodic riff. Other highlights include the memorable “From A Distance” a mellow tempo with lush guitar and excellent lyrics that come together with a well worked hook. “Wherever You Are” is another well written, slowly opening, track.

Article Author: Jeff Perkins

Jeff is a writer who lives in France. He writes CD/DVD box sets, music reviews and has had a book published about David Byron of Uriah Heep. He is 'busy' exploring the music of Europe with his wife Debbie and dog Dylan. It's Dylan that does the writing of course. …

Visit Jeff Perkins's author page — Jeff Perkins's Blog