Send "Big Troubles " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Pitchfork |
 There's a great bit in Patton Oswalt's latest special that begins with him auditioning for the role of "gay best friend" and ends with a monkey explosively defecating on camera. Obviously, he got from Point A to Point B explaining how romantic comedy isn't even really an artistic genre so much as a strict format whose monetary success is predicated on telling people what they're getting and then giving them exactly what they want. While Romantic Comedy is too scrappy and bummed-out for usage in cute montages anytime soon, Big Troubles' sophomore LP and first for Slumberland is still every bit as beholden to an overt sense of values: If 1990s indie revivalism gets you going like seeing Jennifer Aniston and some other dude find true love does, it's easy to imagine a tagline saying "from the people who brought you the Pains of Being Pure at Heart and the producers from Brighten the Corners…" doing its risk-free aspirations justice.Those familiar with last year's super-lo-fi Worry will certainly be taken aback by Big Troubles' spruced-up presentation, but it's hardly surprising: It's not like they could go much further into the red than they did on their self-produced fuzzbomb of a debut. For the most part, they err on the bookish side of the Slumberland sound, dabbling in both U.S. and UK varietals of mope-pop while producer Mitch Easter (Murmur, Let's Active) shows a steady hand letting the ringing guitar leads and Alex Craig and Ian Drennan's hushed vocals exist in a soft and appealing glow. But while I don't blame Big Troubles for reaching out to Easter, together they overshoot the mark and ultimately Romantic Comedy often feels like it's uncomfortable using language and volume more suitable for the library. Single "Misery" is certainly the pluckiest of the bunch and has inspired a few mentions of the Smashing Pumpkins, which is on point if you can find me the pre-Adore singles without the searing guitar work, cathartic lyrics, studio polish, or Jimmy Chamberlin on the drums. A nice major-thirds riff complementing a boyish, breathy vocal only gets you to the point of Silversun Pickups. It's a rare record of this sort that makes you think, "If only they raged as hard as Belong does," but Romantic Comedy innocuously charms instead of breaking hearts or breaking anything really-- even the feedback-laced, vaguely glammy "Time Bomb" can't achieve the kind of escape velocity required to get them out of sounding like a rock band that doesn't actually rock. Still, they're precocious songwriters who know from a good hook: If you can get past its title rhyming with "bad world," "Sad Girls" is a exceedingly catchy Britpop genre exercise, though the big key change sounds like them pressing too hard for extra credit. Likewise, "Softer Than Science" and "Never Mine" have a gorgeous shimmer and propulsion that similarly gets over some remarkably rudimentary "mine"/"mind" rhyme schemes. I suppose you can find the economy of the lyrics to be endearing, but it makes their awkward attempt at purple social critique on "Make It Work"-- "such little relevance in the perfumes of high culture"-- sound like they might be making fun of the National or something....full text |
| Consequenceofsound |
| The boys of New Jersey’s Big Troubles take a second dip into the indie pop pool with Romantic Comedy, a record that doesn’t offer any big surprises but manages to match the enjoyability of their debut. The charming, noisy production that gave the first record, Worry, a Loveless-on-a-budget feel has disappeared but has been replaced with an unobstructed view of the band’s noteworthy songwriting ability. The songs on Romantic Comedy generally waver between two sounds: Some have a sensitive, retro-pop feel most comparable to indie rock’s current spotlight-gobblers, Girls, while others take a harder-edged guitar rock route. The album’s lead single “Sad Girls” falls into the former category, with a lackadaisical and airy vocal melody playing out across a bright instrumental backing. “Time Bomb” is a great sample of the latter style, opening with a high-gain guitar rush reminiscent of late ’80s Dinosaur Jr. Big Troubles hit their groove delivering pop-rock punches in quick doses: “Misery” is a catchy, jangly track that clocks in at just under two-and-a-half minutes, while the swirling “Minor Keys” starts spreading itself thin across four-and-a-half. Most notably on this new record, Big Troubles has cleaned up their previously lo-fi sound with the help of veteran producer Mitch Easter, best known for his work on R.E.M.’s first two records. The change in production style isn’t a conclusive improvement. The griminess of Worry‘s songs was a big part of what made them so appealing. In its place, we gain a clearer glimpse of dual singer/songwriters Alex Craig and Ian Drennan’s knack for pleasant hooks and intelligent pop lyrics, which was sometimes buried in the debut’s thick coating of noise. It’s a trade-off that breaks even in the end....full text |
| Theowlmag |
| Big Troubles may have started off as a lo-fi, Britpop ripoff band (i.e., their 2010 debut), but clarity and a presumably larger recording budget have ensued. Their latest, Romantic Comedy, is defined by bursts of jangly guitars, feedback, and an early ’90s alternative rock badge of honor. The song, “Sad Girls,” for instance, ranks as one of the most bubbly indie pop statements of the entire year. It’s an undeniable sing-a-long when the singer hits that chorus line “Love is in the air/but I don’t care/‘cause I don’t want to love anymore.” Their challenge really is discovering how to distinguish themselves from every other band on their Slumberland label. “Minor Keys” could easily have popped up on a Pains of Being Pure At Heart album without missing a beat. Dreamy, modern indie pop is as abundant as rain in Seattle so why am I listening to Romantic Comedy over and over? Simple, there’s not a miss on the entire album. Big riffs and even bigger chorus lines should help you to leave your Yuck obsession far behind....full text |
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