THE BIG DEAL – Electrified

RELEASE YEAR: 2025
BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/TheBandBigDeal/

The Big Deal hail from Serbia, and “immediately accessible” would be an apt description of what the quintet delivers on this twelve-track opus of theirs. They have certainly progressed as musicians and songwriters since the last time I listened to their stuff, which would have been the First Bite LP from three years ago.

Things feel a little more thought out and expansive here, and there is simply more confidence on display this time around as they perform their particular brand of melodic hard rock with a charming sense of vigor. The symphonic vibe of the affair and the heavy use of keyboards and synthesizers might set some people’s teeth on edge, but I find it quite entertaining in the overall perspective, and the song material is nothing if not well-played and full of solid hooks. They have a knack for conjuring up strong melodies, and the two vocalists, namely Ana Nikolic and Nevena Brankovic, rarely fail to hit that indefinable sweet spot and are the main draw of The Big Deal’s pomp-esque AOR. Album closer “Dare to Dream” is a standout moment due to its subtle melancholy, and “Like a Fire” is so easy on the ear and catchy that it almost sounds as if it could have popped up in the Eurovision finals. Another highlight is the energetic and surprisingly heavy “Broken Wings,” which may in fact be their best and most memorable composition to date.

The production feels somewhat lifeless in places, which especially goes for the drums and their lack of sonic punch, but Electrified undoubtedly contains some good songs with an uplifting atmosphere to them, and only a couple of tunes on the disc are outright duds. Easily digestible stuff, and sometimes that is what the mood calls for, right?