JUNO award winner for Best Rock Album of 2018, Big Wreck, is back at it again with more music released on February 22 of this year. Though the fanbase for this Canadian-American rock band is not nearly as large in the US as it is in Canada, every fan across the globe has been anticipating this new album since singer/lead guitarist Ian Thornley posted teasers on Instagram. After piecing together the teasers, fans have expected a much more grungy tune to the album, maybe even pushing the borders of metal rather than the usual hard rock sound the band has been bringing since the release of their 2012 reuniting album “Albatross.”

As we patiently (but excitedly) awaited the first glimpses of the new album, fans from the Big Wreck Fan Page on Facebook have been relentlessly commenting on the things they have expected and anticipated for the music Ian and the band have brought to us this past Friday. Before the release, some members said that they looked forward to the tour that falls shortly after each album release. Some travel to neighboring states to see Big Wreck in concert, even if they’ve already seen them two days before in their hometown! I myself am certainly guilty of this, but definitely not sorry about it. Other members couldn’t wait to see the tonal theme of the album, which is generally brought forth via the first single release. Overall, excitement could not be contained throughout the community, but no one expected the reactions that the release ended up receiving.

Midnight of February 22nd, the song “Locomotive,” the title track of the album, was released. Immediately, fans started posting their reactions to the song, some not as pleasant as others. Overall, the reviews were positive. Many people liked the “swampy” guitar sounds, the drums almost sounding like they were actually chugging along like a true locomotive, or the lyrics that seem to always strike a nerve in the hearts of those who love the band. For some others, they found that the mixing sounded a little “muddy,” not bringing out all the tones of the guitar riffs, or that the song was a bit too busy, or even that it sounded like a mainstream radio hit. While all opinions of the song should be valued, the ride-or-die fans of Big Wreck know that while every single song might not be everyone’s favorite, the band has consistently put out amazing music that we all really connect to. Big Wreck is a light in a dark world of auto-tuning and meaningless lyrics.

As for my own personal thoughts about the release…well let’s just say I have played the song on repeat since Friday. Dissecting the song and picking each component apart to analyze brings more pleasant surprises, like the lyric overlays and the complex drum patterns. I have already memorized the lyrics, and as usual, Ian hasn’t failed to disappoint in the lyrical connections to past songs. One of my favorite things about the band is their uncanny ability to make each album unique in theme and tones, yet also always keep the classic Big Wreck sound that we all know and love. Even when compared to Ian Thornley’s side project “Thornley” from 2004-2009, you can easily make the distinction between the two.

After listening to the song, I look forward to hearing what the rest of the album has to offer. I hope the same heaviness remains throughout, and I am very excited to hear the rest of the themes in the lyrics. They always seem to coincide with the things I’m feeling during an album release and help me through whatever is going on in my life. I always highly recommend this band to everyone who enjoys rock music, and I certainly put my stamp of approval on the new song as well. Be sure to check out the band’s music on all listening platforms, and rock on!