The perpetually rotating (but nevertheless crucial) members of Le Big Zero (LBZ) have persevered through a lot… Think cross-country moves; DIY tours; and the aforementioned revolving door of necessary-but-temporary bandmates. Since you’re reading this review, it’s clear they’re still alive – the band’s proverbial heart kept beating by mainstays Michael Pasuit and Ben Ross. They’ve been joined by Katie Cooney and Lukas Hirsch, who have been with the band since 2022’s A Proper Mess. In case you missed it, we wrote about the excellent “Beach Séance” from that offering last year – be sure to check it out here.
But we’re not talking about 2022 right now – we’re here to talk about Le Big Zero’s most recent output, At Arm’s Length. For a band named after literally zilch, nil, nada, this quartet pumps out a lot of sound… And uniquely too. Fans of Speedy Ortiz; Foyer Red; Pavement; and Les Savy Fav will find lots to love with this angular batch of songs, driven mostly by guitar but powered thoroughly by quirky high/low harmonies and janky chord patterns. There’s lots to dig into here – on your first listen, you’ll notice the harmonies, sure… But further listens reward the listener with abrupt tempo changes; wild ups-and-downs in feel; and of course, their charming songwriting prowess that is truly one-of-a-kind. About their music, Pasuit offers:
“The concept of having your beliefs but needing to handle conversations with careful, roundabout investigation, with many of us learning way more than we bargained for with acquaintances we thought we knew.“
Profound. ‘Nuff said.
Album opener “Watch It Burn” lays down a chugging riff, riding a singular note while male/female harmonies drone overtop. This is rock n roll, pure and simple, channeling early Yeah Yeah Yeahs with it’s pounding rhythms and I-don’t-give-a-fuck attitude. This same energy can be found throughout follow-up track, “Heavy Handed,” and track five “Pay No Mind,” with their razor-sharp guitar riffing and mind-numbing tempo changes around tight, musical corners.
There’s no denying the spiky and churning rhythms found on lead single “Toy.” The song starts out sounding like a crooked smile, as two guitars push-and-pull against each other, the vocals urging you to “validate me.” It quickly layers in a twinkly lead that changes the big, chunky guitar work into something a bit more urgent and unsettling. Before you know it, LBZ has changed the feel (yet again) into blasts of syncopated guitar rhythms and a spindly lead, all coming out reminiscent of The Dismemberment Plan at their most melodic. This “more melodic” approach can also be found on album closer, “Spin Cycle,” where LBZ pulls a few punches to let their vocals truly shine through… Before turning back into the band we know and love for a quick outro, of course.
We recommend starting with the music video for “Toy” via YouTube below. You can find At Arm’s Length on Spotify or Apple Music, or find all the different ways to support them via their Linktree.