Kilo Bravo and Big Cry Country Reviewed

Big Cry Country – Settle Up

Genre: Indie Rock, Garage Rock, Alternative Rock

In one of his most hurtful accusations against Paul McCartney, John Lennon once remarked, with astonishment, that his former partner’s songwriting had led a wave of songs about policemen, postmen and other boring people. However, it was not the thing that infuriated him most of all. 

He could not understand why someone would bother writing songs about other people when there was so much to say about themselves. Big Cry Country believe in writing songs about themselves, slicing down the arteries and cutting to the heart of the matter. They do it with humour, too. 

“Settle Up” is a dizzyingly fun song about coming to terms with separation and the fact that life isn’t engineered to easily bring friends and lovers into your life. The song’s winning punch is delivered by the excellent vocal prosody, with the singing falling in and out of the song like someone jumping from crying to laughter in the space of mere seconds. 

Kilo Bravo – Lucinda

Similar artists: Queens of the Stone Age, Wilco, Pixies

Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock

Artists gotta have guts. It must be terrifying to have to approach an empty canvas every time, regardless of having just completed one. The fact that previous results don’t matter much when starting a new project must really get on an artist’s nerves. Kilo Bravo approach the unknown with confidence and restraint. 

Dialling things back and even having the bravery to chop off some of the things that could be used as ornamentation takes bravery. After all, artists, especially less self-assured ones, are tempted to showcase everything that they can do all the time. Putting faith in the idea that less is more is truly an act of courage. 

Kilo Bravo’s “Lucinda” rings out like a stoner-rock version of some kind of 1970s cartoon intro. It suggests action and makes you think of heroes and villains. It uses guitar riffs in an almost humorous, cocksure way. And it’s quirky in a way that only the truly experienced artists can allow themselves to be.