REVIEW: Big Talk - Big Talk

Big Talk
Big Talk
(Epitaph)
(out of 5)

Following in the footsteps of Brandon Flowers, Killers’ drummer Ronnie Vannucci shows he didn’t want to join his band mates in taking a sabbatical by getting together with his old guitarist Taylor Milne and creating Big Talk, an outing that proves once and for all that you should never underestimate the abilities of a drummer.

In fact Ronnie breaks the stereotype completely by penning all twelve tracks and suppling lead vocals, guitar, bass, keys and drums. Showing he’s not ready to leave the stadiums behind just yet, the album’s opener ‘Katzenjammer’ begins with a slow building keyboard arrangement that explodes into a flurry of drums and guitars.

From there we get the first of the album’s standouts ‘Getaways’ with its chunky Weezer-like approach. Comparisons can’t help but be made elsewhere too as ‘White Dove’ harks back to early Cars, and, not surprisingly, ‘Hunting Season’ finds the stickman sounding a bit like his more famous band and has the potential to be a future single.

Like Brandon’s solo effort, Big Talk may not generate its namesake, or provide the infectious chart-imposing arias of Ronnie’s day job, but there’s still a lot to like in this slice of Americana.

By Matt Ruys