Track Attack: Big Ups’ “PPP” Is Heavy, Catchy and Weird
Posted: by The Editor
Between Turnstile’s “Generator” and this rippin’ new track from Brooklyn’s Big Ups, it appears that hand claps in hardcore songs might be a “thing” in 2018. That’s wonderful. It’s really difficult to be both blissful and blistering, but that’s something Big Ups (and Turnstile, for that matter) have done particularly well throughout the last eight years. Despite sounding more akin to bands like Pissed Jeans, Preoccupations and Metz, they’ve chosen to surround themselves with indie rock bands (signed to Exploding In Sound, have done splits with Washer and Flagland, toured with LVL Up) and have therefore individualized themselves within the artsy post-hardcore community.
“PPP”, the first track from their upcoming record Two Parts Together (out 5/18 via EIS), is one of their weirdest, heaviest and most melodic yet—which is an extremely difficult dynamic to nail down. It’s got a rattling verse that abruptly unfurls into pummeling chord blasts with the muscle to be pit-inciting, and a heaving delivery from Joe Galarraga that honestly recalls a more metallic post-hardcore band like Counterparts, or even Bane. However, it quickly recedes back to a muttering verse with off-kilter pinch harmonics and a thwacky drum beat that slickly translates into the aforementioned hand claps.
Big Ups cover a lot of ground on “PPP” despite its ending feeling premature. It’ll be really interesting to see how this track fits into the rest of the record, though, as Big Ups have never been a singles band. One of their best qualities.
—
Eli Enis | @eli_enis
The Alternative is ad-free and 100% supported by our readers. If you’d like to help us produce more content and promote more great new music, please consider donating to our Patreon page, which also allows you to receive sweet perks like free albums and The Alternative merch.
