BIG SPECIAL

Post-punk has been making its mark on the UK for several years now, a scene spearheaded by the likes of IDLES, Shame, and Soft Play (FKA Slaves), and it comes as no surprise – with an abundance of reasons to want to rebel and a multitude of grievances to express, the conditions are ripe for the genre’s resurgence. Big Special fill a gap in the market for the genre, offering a voice from the perspective of the Midlands, and their debut album, Postindustrial Hometown Blues, firmly establishes the duo in the scene. 

A heady dose of heart and reality
The gothic Black Country duo pack in punk, blues, and soul on a full-bodied debut that works to say: 'Feeling fucked? Keep going. We see you'

Big Special were always going to give value for money on their debut album. ‘Post Industrial Hometown Blues’ includes a whopping 15 tracks including all of the duo’s singles released to date – it’s evident, then, that this attitude is embedded within the very fabric of the band.

“Music that stands it’s ground and looks you right in the eye”
Steve Lamacq, BBC Radio 6 Music

“A vital, gripping debut album” - Clash ★★★★

“A dizzying mix of hard and delicate” – DIY ★★★★½

“a real piece of art; sheer brilliance from start to finish” - Dork ★★★★★

"an album that is distinctively mystical, and ageless, comfortably propelling itself between soul, hip hop, and rock" - The Line of Best Fit ★★★★½

Album of The Week - Louder Than War ★★★★★

"A glorious post-punk racket" - Daily Mirror

“a heady dose of heart and reality” – NME ★★★★

"a cocktail of barbed post-punk and ferociously soulful crooning" - Notion

“a stellar debut with enough conviction to keep us all dancing through the darkness.” - Rolling Stone UK

"a thrilling mix of punk, blues and soul" - Scottish Daily Express ★★★★

"One of the most exciting bands in Britain" - The Telegraph

“A highly engaging, emotionally rich debut” - Uncut ★★★★

BIG SPECIAL have released their highly-anticipated debut album POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES.

A run of blistering and dynamic single releases in recent months finally sees the release of BIG SPECIAL's debut album via SO Recordings. Their 2024 singles 'DUST OFF / START AGAIN', 'BUTCHER'S BIN' and 'BLACK DOG / WHITE HORSE' have each shown a different side to the many talents the duo have at their disposal. Traversing sounds that walk a tightrope from the abrasive to the soulful, they've picked at the fabric of what it is to be human in the modern world: inspiring resistance and openness in the face of decay.

Lead singer Joe Hicklin says about the album: “POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES is an album about depression. It's about the different shapes it takes; personal, social, generational... and it's about coming face to face with those ghosts and what we do or how we feel when that happens.

The album offers no answers, it is just an honest expression of a working-class experience in modern England through the eyes of ill mental health, a pursuit of art and political disenchantment; a story of rumination, realisation and reaction.

POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES is about learning that we are connected by our common struggles and though dark and rageful, the album holds a quiet sentiment of love and hope. It's about laughing at the face of the void, recognising its oppressive weight, holding hands and moving forward.”