Big Tribe - In This Together
Second albums pose all sorts of
difficulties. Does a band double down on what made the debut work so well, do
they expand their creative horizons, or is it advisable to find some sort of
middle ground between those two options? Big Tribe opts for the latter choice
and it pays off on their sophomore release In This Together. Peter Panyon and
his band mates Bonnie Eyler and Joe Heutte sound comfortable on every song, but
the dozen songs on this release also find them pushing their creativity in
often thrilling new directions. This is songwriting that’s not bound by any set
rules or expectations and, working with that sort of personal freedom, it never
strikes a false note even on the lesser compositions. Instead, no matter where
their creative focus falls on a particular song, Big Tribe sounds confident and
makes full use of their skill set within the context of each track.
“Martha” is a fine way to begin the
album and lets listeners know that this is far from business as usual. The
lyrical content is open to multiple possible interpretations, but there’s a
clarity here that allows various takes thanks to the specific details that
Paynon works into his lyrics. The song certainly hints at a strong Dylan
influence, but there isn’t an arbitrary line in the whole song – everything has
a purpose rather than just a writer groping for a rhyme. The album’s quasi
title song, “All in This Together”, marries rich vocal harmonies with a rock
rhythm section that grabs listeners by the lapel and shakes them hard. Panyon’s
distinctive vocals are in the lead role on this track, like the opener, and
give it a character and tone that sets the band’s music apart from similar
efforts in the field. Bonnie Eyler’s voice steps out for the first time, solo,
on the song “10,000 Years”. This is one of the underrated gems of the album and
the acoustic, low volume arrangement really gives the focus over to her
beautiful voice. The writing, likewise, defies easy categorization – this is a
song about many things, possibly, and it’s to songwriter Peter Panyon’s credit
that its meaning isn’t easily parsed or pinned down.
“The Final Boat Out” is another of the
album’s best tracks thanks to its coupling of singer/songwriter, slightly
folky, musical textures with shots of pure rock guitar bubbling out of the mix.
The lyrics might remind some, thematically, of the first track, but Panyon
takes this in a much stronger direction than we heard in “Martha”. “How the
Mind Wanders” finds Eyler delivering what’s arguably the album’s most
attention-grabbing vocal. This is thanks, in no small part, to the exceptional
lyric that sounds like something Panyon lived through, perhaps numerous times,
rather than some imaginative exercise. The album’s longest track, “Just a Boy”,
has Eyler and Panyon alternating lead vocals to a spectacularly inviting
effect. This is one of the warmest songs on the album and, despite covering
familiar ground in terms of subject, it has its own take on the matter quite
unlike other bands working in this vein. In This Together closes with a bit of
a jokey, albeit quite affection, song entitled “The Boys of Autumn”. It’s a
clever ode to Panyon’s love for baseball and the warmth and regard with which
he holds the game comes through in a playful way. Big Tribe shows listeners a
variety of musical faces on this release and they all hang together with
coherence and musical quality. In This Together is a great follow up to their
debut and sets the stage for Big Tribe’s continued evolution in the years to
come.
9 out of 10 stars
Scott Wigley
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