THE BIGFELLAS Chubbed Up (Self released)

Y’know, sometimes old-school is still the best. The Bigfellas are an unsigned band that hail from San Diego and basically revolves around the songwriting talents of Charlie Recksieck. And a talent Recksieck certainly is and he chooses to express his skills in the classic rock forms of the 70s I grew up with viz. Supertramp, Billy Joel, ELO, Randy Newman, Warren Zevon, Elton John et al. Ben Folds is probably the closest modern day reference I can think of.

This 14 track album will definitely be a treat for fans of the aforementioned bands and artists but in his own right Recksieck must be acknowledged for his way with a melody and smart-assed lyrics.

And they don’t get better than the opening California King, whilst melodically covers all the above bases, thematically presents a humorous take on Recksieck’s home state. To wit, ”Star Wars, megastores, bodybuilding governors/Vegetarians who love to shoot their guns/Aerospace apportions, legalized abortions,/Over two million illegal aliens”. Top that up with a Beatlesque guitar solo and pleasing girl harmonies and what you have is a bona fide modern pop classic.

The rest of Chubbed Up is hit or miss but still contains enough highlights to deserve every serious pop-rock lover’s attention.

For instance, the catchy romp Dollar for a Dime with its memorable stanza – “All those investments with no return/The times in Vegas when I’ve been burned/The only thing that I’ve ever learned/Money won’s sweeter than money earned”. Mos def!

Or what about the politically incorrect I Wish I Were Gay, which opens with a rendition of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and features words that I would kill to hear on primetime radio - 

“I wish that I were gay
Then I could forget all of the foreplay
Do it then walk away
Having sex with women is just so passe
So yesterday
Fucking on a whim
Going to the gym
Look at him – he might be gay”

Then there’s the rap/golf satire of On the Green, complete with a lift of Barry White’s love theme – hilarious!

Not sure if the Bigfellas have what it takes to make it in the current navel-gazing, emotional fakery that poses for rock cred nowadays but I really don’t give a damn, the Bigfellas are a band that deserves your love and attention. Check out the Bigfellas at Myspace.