The first thing that hits you when you hear “Lost in the Moment” – the opening statement on “The Big Sad” – is the sheer scope of the thing.
A quick scan of the dates on their tour earlier in the spring reveals the size of the venues they played. Suffice to say, they are desperate to play bigger places than that.
The North East trio – and write your own Sam Fender cliché here, I can’t be bothered – are just classy. There’s a mature vibe about “Final Exit,” and the strings are a lovely touch.
But they can rock too. “Wolly Thunder” proves that, and a lot of their versatility comes from Adam Hope’s voice – capable of hitting the highs, carrying the rockers, and doing something in-between like “I’m Sorry (This Time).”
They namecheck bands as diverse as QOTSA and Elliott Smith in interviews, and as odd a combination as that sounds, it makes sense. That said, “January, Please” is more the latter than the former.
This is a band that is always interesting and captivating, and “Preparing for the Big Sad” is a case in point. You never expected a track like that – and that’s the point.
Further evidence you shouldn’t second-guess them comes in the fuzzy “There’s an Echo,” while “Real Again” sounds way more advanced than you’d imagine a band on their second record to be.
An album that obviously means a lot to them, given that it takes in the loss of people (including a band member) and the feeling of a psychological weight being lifted. There’s also some raw emotion on show – not least on “Trapped in a Vacuum” – while “Nostradamus” opines that “you drink my ocean dry.” But don’t worry, it still makes waves.
You can count on the fact that they’ll write anthems, though. “My Abacus” is all of that and more.
Indeed, as it ends with the ’60s-flavoured title track and lays its mental health struggles on the line (“there’s something inside my head that makes me want to be sad,” goes its hook), it’s tempting to think that all great art comes from sadness. But also, The Pale White have so much to be happy with when it comes to “The Big Sad.”
Big, bold, brave and brash too, it deserves every accolade that’s coming its way.
RATING: 8/10
