Send "Big Talk " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Popmatters |
 Sometimes talent is not a matter of argument. Big Talk is flush with it, mostly in the hands of Ronnie Vannucci, known best for his drumming in the Killers. Vannucci makes the lion’s share of sounds on Big Talk’s debut: singing, drumming and playing keyboards and guitars. He’s crafted an album that sounds slick and competent the whole way through. But unlike talent, taste is always in dispute.Big Talk has a lot going for it really: big smooth vocals, expert production, impeccably synced instrumentation and some catchy, catchy songs. Vannucci’s guitar work, along with collaborator Taylor Milne, is tremendous and accomplished. The unmistakably rich and trebly tone of a Telecaster gives life to the strings on Big Talk, at times sounding affected and atmospheric until it’s dramatically spotlighted on a swaggering lead. The interplay between the guitars and keyboards are key to the contemporary mainstream-meets-cutting-edge sound that defines Big Talk, but like communism, the XFL and ketchup-flavored potato chips, Big Talk sounds better in theory than in practice. The biggest problem with Big Talk is the lack of originality. It’s apparent that Vannucci blended his interests with his abilities without much exploration, rarely stepping outside of the confines of familiar rock sounds, old and new. In fact, he has a real knack for identifying the cliches and minutiae of mainstream rock and making them general. The melodies, the harmonies, the chords, the drums, they’re all inexplicably reminiscent something we’ve heard on the radio. Hence, everything here is intuitive, easily digestible and better on the first listen than on the tenth....full text |
| Guardian |
| Taking a break from his day job with the Killers, drummer Ronnie Vannucci has started a band whose name, he says, is a nod to some of his favourite music: "Big Star, Talking Heads, Big Time by Tom Waits". Would that Big Talk (Vannucci and guitarist Taylor Milne) were a fraction as interesting as the aforementioned, or even more direct influences such as the Cars or the Killers themselves. Stadium-rock bluster and chugging power chords are the order of the day, and occasional songs that begin with the promise of something different, such as "No Whiskey" and "Big Eye", end up veering inexorably towards the same MOR conclusion....full text |
| Consequenceofsound |
| When a member of a popular group ventures off into “solo project land,” it’s quite literally hit or miss, as a lengthy roster of artists testify to the unpredictability of veering from a band’s tested, successful formula (I’m looking at you, Scott Weiland). So when The Killers’ drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr. announced his solo side-project Big Talk earlier this year, fans were right to be a little wary of the early-aught superstars’ drummer trying his hand at the solo gig. The good news is that Vannucci’s album is a strong effort, showing a love for American power-pop and vast guitar rock. Big Talk gives listeners healthy doses of Vannucci’s and former bandmate/ Big Talk guitarist Taylor Milne’s influences—ranging from tinges of Big Star riffs, Tom Petty-esque American landscapes, and chugging beats mirroring the Cars. Killers fans need not fret, for charged synth rock and soaring guitar runs still linger. The album starts off with a lit fuse exploding into the soaring “Katzenjammer”, a guitar-heavy anthem about morning whiskey, smokes, and not-giving-a-damn lifestyle. “Getaways” echoes early Petty mentalities, bleeding into “Under Water”, a catchy pop tune ready for late summer radio. After a charged group of tracks, Vannucci dials things down a bit on “No Whiskey”, a sparse acoustic picker that bubbles over into a frustrated, bluesy jam—a welcome change of pace. “Girl at Sunrise”, “Living in Pictures”, and “Hunting Season” follow a similar recipe of loud, chugging pop-rock that rolls easily through Vannucci’s sunny, Vegas desert. “A Fine Time to Need Me” is melodic, wailing longing at its best, leading into the stifled blues closer “Big Eyes”, capping off a well-crafted and full-bodied album....full text |
Big Talk lyrics
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