illusionofjoy | OTR: Bigwig

Bigwig's Stay Asleep was released in 1999, roughly around the same time as the Ataris' Blue Skies...Broken Hearts, Next 12 Exits. They share a label (The Vandals' Kung-Fu Records) and each of their albums clocks in at less than thirty minutes.

Bigwig is more aggressive and less poppy than The Ataris, however.

This is another CD I came into possession of because of my connection to WAIH. Honestly, nearly a decade later, I'm having trouble listening to it. "Smile," so far remains the best track on the disc (and at the time, it was most-played on WAIH).

In an...interesting incident, I was playing "Smile" on the radio when I got a phone call in the air studio. The line "thinking about you makes me smile" (how's that for lyrical creativity) had just played and the girl at the other end of the line simply said, "are you thinking about me?" This call would have been more welcome had I actually been attracted to the girl...or if she hadn't been making creepy advances on me for the past few weeks...or sending me all too amorous cards in the mail for someone who barely knew me...

You know, I don't think I can stomach listening to that song again.

"Freegan" amuses me for it's lunk-headed offensiveness. I'd love to tie Morrissey up in a room and force him to listen to it on repeat. Then again, I've always wanted to write an album or EP entitled Meat Is Tasty or, better Murder Is Tasty. I try to curb these juvenile inclinations, really I do...

I've barely made it to the halfway point of this album (about fifteen minutes) and it just feels like it is dragging. Since my teenage years have gone, this type of music has not aged well. The lyrics alone are making me cringe...these guys should have taken a cue from The Ramones and not have been so...god...damned...serious...about...themselves!

Liberal use of the word "fuck" in "Numbers" proves how hardcore this band is. Note to self: scream "fuck" more often.

Admittedly, "Sellout" starts with one of the most unintentionally hilarious lines in the history of recorded music: "have you ever paid thirty bucks for a ticket where the seating sucks?"

Bigwig tries...they really try hard...so hard, but...

I'm glad I don't have to listen to this ever again. Five more tracks to go...