Duncan Reid And The Big Heads - To Live Or Live Not (Guest Review By Mike Patton)

  Vista Blue (https://www.facebook.com/wearevistablue/) frontman Mike Patton is certainly no stranger to this blog and if anyone should recognise a great power pop/pop punk tune when he hears it it's him so when I noticed him praising a new song he'd stumbled across I quickly pounced and asked him to share his thoughts with you guys.

  Cheers Mike...

  Duncan Reid is an original member of The Boys, so you'd expect to hear good songs from his current project, Duncan Reid and the Big Heads. But it goes even further than that. The band's new album, Don't Blame Yourself, is a collection of hooky songs that allows the pop in their pop punk to really shine.

https://duncanreidandthebigheads.bandcamp.com/album/dont-blame-yourself

The single "To Live or Live Not" is a power pop gem. It's starts simply enough, following a quick intro with a palm-muted verse and a catchy riff. But then some jangly guitars enter before the chorus explodes into wonderful three-part harmony. The middle of the song breaks down, as the band "oohs" over some synth and kick drum, but the chorus comes right back again, taking us to the end of the song. It's a fast 3:25, and you'll be playing it again as soon as it's over.

This is my introduction to this band, which has the two main ingredients that I look for in power pop and pop punk: melody and harmony. In this case, the production is slick, the melody is super catchy, and the harmonies are tight.

As a bonus, the video is very fun as well, showing the band members doing their best to have fun during the current quarantine we're all experiencing. There are shots on back patios, solo performances on park benches, and even toilet paper rolls transformed into drums. And if you weren't tapping your toes to the song already, you'll definitely be dancing along when you see the energy these guys and girls have, even while social distancing.

Thanks to Mick for allowing me to share my thoughts here, and thanks to Duncan Reid and the Big Heads for writing a killer song and album. You've got a new fan!

This is To Live Or Live Not...

Gonna rent my house out to a stranger
Gonna let them treat it like their own
Gonna move abroad and try some danger
Gonna try a taste of the unknown

I’ve spent my whole life being safe and steady
Now it's time to roll the dice

To live or live not
That is the question
To Love or love not
Before my times up
To lose the whole plot
Let's skip confession
To Sin or sin not
I've made my mind up

Gonna catch the first plane to Caracas
Why go somewhere that’s far too safe
Gonna find a girl who plays maracas
Gonna ask her out with all her mates

And we'll go dancing till the sun comes up
Sleep all day then start again

To live or live not
Start the ignition
To give all I've got
Let's seize the day
Let's stop the rot
C-carpe diem
To Dare or dare not
That's what I say