Customer Reviews

In Loving Memory of

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4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
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This is the best rock and roll album out now, and in some years. The first song on the album The Oaf starts out with a soft guitar part and explodes into a great rock song. That Song follows with what I think is the best lyrics on the album. Example is as follows: So I always get nostalgic with that song/ But in my room it's forced/ It has to be in some car across the street/ And I always catch the back of your head in the crowd/ But don't turn around/ It's never you and you'll ruin those memories. Now if that doesn't perk up you ears and make you listen, than I don't know what will. Even though I think every song on this album is a instant classic, the following really sticks out. Blown Wide Open, is a powerful song both in music and lyrics. Another one that stands out is Fall Through The Cracks, with a bassline and kick drum beat that will put a pounding in your heart. The other one is Prayer which is just plan and simple Rock & Roll. I recommend everyone go get In Loving Memory Of...

I bought this album on a whim after hearing "The Oaf" on the radio and finding it amusing. After hearing "Oaf" I figured the album would be equal parts Weezer and The Who and something catchy for the player. After buying the album, I don't know how I ever got along without it. It's so refreshing to hear heavy guitars layered over strong melodies. Thornley plays and sings his cheeks off and his songwriting would seem to indicate the beginning of something special. I find myself checking amazon at least twice a week wondering when their second album is due to be released. When it is, I will be at the record store at Midnight, mingling with the teenies, hoping Big Wreck isn't too close to the Backstreet Boys section. Do yourself a huge favor; skip the massage and work out the kinks to the blissful sounds of Big Wreck!

I actually bought this CD after onlt hearing "That Song" and wasn't sure if they'd be good. Boy, did that gamble pay off. This is one of the best CD's I have ever heard. Big Wreck jams like few bands. And Ian Thornley can wail. Excellent CD even for anyone who appreciates music.

The boys from Berklee (School of Music) are a collective genius. Not only are each of these songs well-crafted, but they are so perfectly aligned on the album. The series of ups and downs, jams and grooves, thrashes and solaces bring the listener to sonic orgasm over and over, especially in the ultra-climactic last tune "Overemphasizing." I've rarely taken interest in a brand new band, especially not to the extent which I am into Big Wreck. They toured the Southeast last summer and fall and I was grateful to catch them on three separate occasions. The first two shows rocked my world but were unfortunately close together and slightly repetitive. They opened with Fall Through the Cracks both times, which is an excellent adrenaline pumper for the start of a show. But the third time they did something that Dave the bassist told me they'd only done a few times, and only started doing again the last time I saw them: they opened with The Oaf. I was so surprised because I didn't realize they were even starting the show till Ian started wailing. Also, what blew me away was their encoring. They covered Skynyrd's "Simple Man!" They also covered Zeppelin. Both of these are no easy task, but Big Wreck owned the rights to these tunes when they played them. If you don't buy this CD based on word of mouth, go see them live and let the band make the decision for you. Take it from a pocket-book Brando: this is definitive modern rock, knocking on the door of progressive rock, while pondering classic rock. These guys should be around for a long time. After all, you don't major in music and form an immediate band just so you can break up soonafter and go direct an orchestra, right?

I discovered this band via the release of "The Oaf" on MTV, then downloaded a few tracks to check the rest out. Ironically, I had "That Song" stuck in my head for about 6 months, and the rest of the album nearly acheives that ideal. This is one of my favorite albums ever. The followup "The Pleasure and the Greed" is just as good.

If you listen to any Big Wreck (or Thornley) and you don't like it, or it's just okay, give it a chance. Both myself and several friends felt the same way, and man, it grows on you until you are totally into it.

Big Wreck was formed in Boston by vocalist/lead guitarist Ian Thornley, guitarist Brian Doherty, bassist Dave Henning and drummer Forrest Williams, who met as students at the Berklee College of Music. After years of gigs in Boston, Big Wreck signed with a label(Atlantic/Warner), releasing their debut album In Loving Memory of... in 1997. This is the review.

Big Wreck's sound was oft compared to that of Led Zepellin and Chris Cornell, and the simularities are definitely there. Ian Thornley is probably one of the most underrated artists creating music today, and he has been since 1997 with the release of his first album with or without a band. Big Wreck's talent wasn't just summed up in one name, however. Each member carried their weight, and are absolutely amazing musicians. This is presented brilliantly with In Loving Memory....., Big Wreck's smashing debut.

The first song on the album, "The Oaf" was the band's biggest success, doing better than any of the tracks released since. "The Oaf" is anything but a generic rock tune, the unique style Big Wreck posessed was and is to this day, absolutely unescapably infectious for rock/metal/alternative fans. And it's radio friendly sound(which few Big Wreck tunes posess) is definitley apparent. But it isn't to the song's detriment. Though not the greatest song on the album, it's definitley one of the best.

"That Song" is the second track, and if I remember correctly, Big Wreck's first single. It did reasonably well in the US, but the Canadian audience truly embraced the tune. This song holds up just as well as the first track on In Loving Memory of.... and more than pleased me.

"Look What I found", ah yes. This song is about artists who rip off other artists' material. Lyrics like "I roped it but what the hell, it's someone elses oh oh well" basically sum up the meaning of this tune, you could say Ian's blowing the whistle, and in a sense, it's humorous.

"Under the Lighthouse", which was a Canada exclusive release. No doubt attributed to the fact that none of Big Wreck's singles were doing all that well, outside of "The Oaf" which was a top ten hit. "Under the Lighthouse" is soft, touching, and infectious. I think I listened to it thirty times or so. The way I interpret this song goes something like this. The guy(possibly Ian) ended the relationship because things weren't working out and he suspected she had lost interest but he broke it off because of pride, and now he is alone thinking about the relationship he lost.

But out of all songs on this album, "How Would You Know" is the pinnacle. Just by amazing sound, who cares what Ian's saying! This is a great song, it's just a great rock tune. It's not the message, it's the sound in which it's presented which is the most important part of a song. And that's why "How Would You Know" is the greatest song on this record.

I realise I've skipped some classics, unfortunatley I have not the time to explain all thirteen songs today. However honorable mentions would be "Blown Wide Open" and "Overemphasizing".

It really says something when 7 years after an album makes an impact on a person, that it still means something personal and sounds as good as the first day.

Big Wreck has a crunchy loud take on blues, but you can definitely hear the bluesy influences in just about all of their songs. The singer provides a nice, crisp voice for all of his songs and the musicianship is astounding.

It's hard to find an album with such appeal as this. It may be older, but it only gets better with time.

Pick this one up.

Now here's a band from way up North who didn't give a damn about what the pop charts say. These guys have created a sound of their own no matter how much it brings you back the days of rock and roll before hip-hop was ever in some record company executives vocabulary. Their music is pure soul expressed through electrified instruments. The music has a tempo to it that gets your attention in the right way. It's a natural rhythm that just makes sense. It's real guys playing real instruments telling a story in a very musical way. This album is as much a pleasure to listen to as anything ever put out by Led Zepplin two decades ago. Buy it, listen to it every once in a while and keep it forever.

These guys obviously put a great deal of effort into this work. There are smackings of several different musical styles here, and Big Wreck have pulled off the impressive trick of cooking it all up into a flavorful gumbo of sound that you're not likely to mistake for anyone else. At the same time, they have enough rock-bottom elements in their music to be accessible to most anyone who stumbles across them. Watch out for their next album---Big Wreck could very well become a force to reckoned with in modern rock.

I,m not one that listens to many cds all the way through.I have over 700 of them and Big Wreck is the best one. I've seen them live twice and they blew me away. I recommend this cd to anyone who has ears.It rocks all the way through.I think they are the best band out there.