Big Deal. What’s He Done Lately is one of those rare albums whose production value is so patently offensive that it’s damn near impossible to focus on the music. This third offering by Brimstone Howl on Alive Records really makes you wonder if it was recorded in a basement. Maybe this was an attempt to create a signature sound, but the overall effect is that of a band who doesn’t care enough or is too insecure about their sound to present it in a comprehensible way. Buried in muddy reverb with little or no high end except on the vocal tracks, it’s easy to imagine this threesome huddled around a single microphone in a Midwest basement, surrounded by cinderblocks and a stockpile of family items, attempting to put something, anything on a crappy 4 track recorder.

After several painful listenings, it appears that there are some possible gems on Big Deal.. the band seems to be channeling the Ramones with a few undertones reminiscent of The Velvet Underground and The Walkmen, but with the overall presentation of the album it’s not possible to enjoy them. My advice to the boys of Brimstone Howl would be to scrap this album entirely and pay an engineer who’s worth a damn to record you the right way. It’s entirely possible and admirable to create a unique auditory experience while presenting your music, but there are certain baselines that must be upheld or you risk turning people away at first experience.