Big Wreck

High on the Hog (Neo-progressive/grunge/2021)

Guest post today!

Hey folks,

I’m excited to collaborate with guitarist and fellow music newsletter writer, Brian Sutich. He writes Six String Sunday Club. Brian is taking over What’s Curation? for today’s post. Over to you, Brian!

bsutich

A post shared by Brian Sutich (@bsutich)

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Hello everyone,

Brian Sutich here—your host today for What’s Curation?

I’ve been a fan of this Canadian band called Big Wreck for almost 20 years. I feel like they’re way underappreciated in the US. I remember hanging out in the mid-’90s, and a song from their album Pleasure and the Greed came on MuchMusic. At first, I thought it was Soundgarden—one of my favorite bands. Turns out it was Big Wreck.

I’ve listened to them and shared their music every chance I got. Anyway, their new EP titled 7.1 has a very Zeppelin-esque song called High on the Hog, and I love it!

These Canadian-Americans, led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Ian Thornley, mix parts of Led Zeppelin, Soundgarden, and more. It seems wild that after 25 years, this band is still a secret here in the US. Everyone I’ve introduced Big Wreck to over the past few decades has thanked me profusely.

The searing rhythm guitars quickly give way to some truly epic Bonham-esque drums. Thornley has a knack for writing some of the most beautiful choruses on the planet, hitting notes reminiscent of the late Chris Cornell (of Audioslave fame). 

The thing I love so much about Big Wreck’s music is that it’s layered so heavily. You can keep coming back to it time and time again, and hear something new. On this track, pay special attention to David McMillan’s bass lines towards the end of the song. 

On top of those bass melodies, you have some heavy, four-on-the-floor drums, and a killer guitar riff. Throughout the years, the band has always toed that line between heavy and ethereal.

Thornley and McMillan did a behind-the-scenes on the tracks for this album 👇🏽

Thanks for listening and reading. What do you think of this track?

-Brian.