ALBUM REVIEW: …huh – really big really clever

British-alt rockers, REALLY BIG REALLY CLEVER, are back with their newest record …huh. A follow-up to their 2023 self-titled debut, the quartet have so far established this record as something that blends raw emotion into melodic compositions, another way to say that this record is something that can make you dance as well as it can make you connect to brutally relatable feelings and scenarios told through songwriting. Yet even in moments where things are serious, one must never forget to find the light side of things that REALLY BIG REALLY CLEVER are so good at doing.

Opening things up is the aptly named intro track, intro where the first thing heard, alongside some background noise of the studio, is someone yelling “fucking hell.” A strong choice of words to open a record to, yet would you believe us when we say that isn’t the main thing you’ll notice? How about the sudden introduction of psychedelic rock meets grunge interlaced with electronic sound effects that, not only, will make you question what we’re in for. A question shortly answered by the first official song of the album, back door, where we’re treated to a bouncier version of gritty alternative rock, completed nicely with low vocals and some psychedelic factors that we were just teased with during intro. Tied together nicely with some stunning riffs, solid breakdowns, and even delving into the realm of math rock compositions where nothing sticks to a certain pattern, it just sounds plain cool.

For the most part, …huh is an upbeat record with endless bouncy compositions and feel good tracks, yet that doesn’t mean they’re unafraid to delve into sounds that are more on the moody side of things, or even just slow moments, as heard in tracks like the, once again, aptly titled dread with it’s low, moody ambience, or the middle that opens with acoustic guitar that, while slow at first, gradually picks up in pace whilst remaining relatively gentle. Yet in closing track, back and forth, while things do start out melancholic, or at the very least more serious sounding, things suddenly kick off into loud psychedelic alternative rock where things never stick to one specific pattern. Adding on a false finish where we hear a return to some grittiness, REALLY BIG REALLY CLEVER are never ones to be easily predictable.

Outside of that, there are plenty of example of alternative grunge meets punk tracks that are just catchy and fun to listen to, such as in floss is boss, where things open with a sample of someone talking about an attractive individual before kicking off into gnarly alternative rock meets punk; or loud grunge meets psychedelic track, doesn’t work, where there’s a constant shift between fast and slow pacing where you’re constantly on the edge of your seat as you await to hear what’s coming next.

In short, this is a solid rock record where one never knows where things will go or what’s coming up in the next song. Fun, catchy and unforgettable, REALLY BIG REALLY CLEVER have created something fascinating here.

Rating: 7/10

…huh is out now via Sugar Free Records.

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