CHEAT THE GALLOWS

I don't deny the fact that Bigelf gets their sound from 70's progressive related bands just like every other reviewer says here. They use them all from The Beatles to King Crimson, but they don't copy. I am one of the first to criticize a band for copying a sound especially when they don't qualify for being even a good band. But these guys are the real deal. They know what they are doing. They don't just play a riff or two, play a bunch of commercial crap and consider themselves retro, they play music that would have fit right in during that era and I have no doubt they would have been a supergroup if they had been around in the 70s..

I love this band and this is one of their best. Even the so called "filler" tracks are good, but the "non-filler" tracks are excellent. The lyrics are a little cheesy, but so were most of the lyrics from that decade and we were able to look right past them. The instrumentals are what you should expect from this kind of band. This is glitzy rock n roll with prog sensibilities. I love this music and this band because they do it right. They do pay homage to the great bands of the 70s, but you know how you all (yes you know who you are) always complain that they don't make music like that anymore. Well, here you go. Just don't go off complaining that they are ripping off the sound. They are not. These are original compositions with a lot of flair, rocking hard guitar riffs, crazy organ/keyboards, even an occasional sax solo, done tastefully of course, not in Kenny G style. The biggest difference is that the production value on this album is great, so imagine what the 70s would have sounded like if today's equipment and production techniques were used.

I really do enjoy this album. I can play it in the car and rock out. I can play it at home and rock out. It sounds good everywhere. There is nothing avant garde or groundbreaking about it, it's just excellent music, straightforward and interesting enough to not be boring. There is plenty of variety in the music that each song has it's own personality, but it is not inconsistent. All of the instrumentation fits in including the sax in "Blackball" (it's not cheesy sax at all), the strings in "Money, It's Pure Evil", the glam in the vocals, the electronics and special effects added to the vocals.....it all fits in nicely and never seems out of place. And if you want a quick way to know if it's prog rock as good as the giants of prog, then listen to "Counting Sheep" (an almost 12 minute epic) and your doubts will be erased. Then go back and listen to the whole album and you won't be able to doubt the fact that this band really knows it's stuff.

I don't understand why people don't rave about this band, especially those that are yearning for a new band or new music that sounds as great as those 70's bands. They need to stop lamenting how "music is not as good as it used to be" and look a little harder, take a few risks, and listen to the music that is out there and they will find good and great bands. The music is there. Stop complaining and start listening!

I love this music and this album. It's fun, entertaining listening and it doesn't get boring because there is still an element of challenge to it. I can't give this album anything lower than a 5. Well developed sound, great production, excellent musicianship and showmanship and vocals. It's there and it's even progressive. Try Some Today!