By: burgundy bug
“Killdozer” by Big Smile
Source: Killdozer | Big Smile
Cincinnati-based pop-punk quintet Big Smile breezed out of summer rocking harder than ever with their latest single, “Killdozer.”
A Bit of Context…
After signing with Anchor Eighty Four Records earlier this year, Big Smile collaborated with producer Seth Henderson at ABG Studios on their upcoming releases, which the band described in the ‘Killdozer’ press release as, “Some of the best we’ve ever written and brought us closer together than ever before.”
“We got up there with an idea and a message we want to get across and [Henderson] turns it into art every single time,” the band said. “We have high hopes for the future as we go into the release of ‘Killdozer.'”
Read: Tune-In Tuesdays #53: Big Smile on What it Means to Be a Band
The Burgundy Zine
Killdozer by Big Smile
“Killdozer” kicks off Big Smile’s upcoming line-up with a raw narrative about the pharmaceutical industry and addiction.
The track begins with quite a sunny yet sharp guitar riff before transitioning into its full-bodied instrumentals. Each additional layer of guitars amplifies the emotionality of the track while the drums beat an incandescent vibrancy into it.
Throughout the first verse, the drums and guitars shift fluidly, like the tide rising and falling. There isn’t a moment where the track isn’t in motion and you can’t resist riding the wave with it.
Vocally, “Killdozer” is just as dynamic as the instrumentals are. The first verse begins with calm, smooth singing that amps up further and further throughout the anthemic chorus.
Lyrically, the message is on point and couldn’t be more timely — and I say that as a health sciences major. During the first two weeks of the fall semester, I had a course that solely focused on the nuances of healthcare in the United States. The pharmaceutical industry plays a major role (along with other factors) in our system’s chaos.
In particular, the bridge really stood out to me:
“A case of a doctor bribed by a pharm rep,
— “Killdozer” by Big Smile
To treat a disease you were not diagnosed with,
To treat a disease you were not diagnosed with,
In business to make us statistics.”
When I first heard those lyrics, I had to loop them back again just to feel the full weight of their gravity. In just a few lines, Big Smile manages to say so much about big pharma, I’m astounded. It’s so… refreshing — and honestly, that description doesn’t do it justice. You have to give it a listen yourself to truly experience it.
Overall, I’m incredibly impressed by “Killdozer,” from the performance on behalf of the band and the production, to the authenticity of their message. I highly, highly encouraging giving the track a listen. Let the tidal wave of Big Smile’s sound and their lyricism crash over you.
Give Big Smile’s “Killdozer” a listen on Spotify now!
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