Big Special return with new single ‘Dragged Up A Hill (and thrown down the other side)’, a track that focuses on Joe Hickin’s stark, unvarnished vocal delivery and shows a more reflective side to the Black Country duo.
The release follows last month’s ‘Plaintive Native’ and lands shortly after the surprise arrival of National Average., which dropped in July. The pair also recently appeared with Sleaford Mods on ‘The Good Life’, sharing screen time with Gwendoline Christie in a striking one-shot video.
Hickin describes the new track as a look back at his early working years, written around the frustration of feeling stuck in both life and love. He adds a warning for listeners: “Don’t listen whilst drunk.”
Built on a long friendship, Big Special’s work is rooted in bleak humour and a bluntness that carries through both their records and their live shows. Their rise has been rapid. After selling out Camden’s Dublin Castle off the back of a single track, they went on to sell out London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town less than two years later, lifted by the impact of their debut album Postindustrial Hometown Blues.
Their second album National Average. reflects the pace of that ascent and the reality that came with it. It charts the strain of touring, the toll on mental health, and the sharp contrasts that come with achieving the very thing you have chased for years.
‘Dragged Up A Hill (and thrown down the other side)’ is out now. Check out their store and website HERE.
Editors’ Picks
- Big Special
- Callum Maloney
- Joe Hickin
- National Average
- New music
- Postindustrial Hometown Blues
- UK Bands
