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8 out of 10
Sometimes, a record comes along that makes you remember how much you loved emo, even if it is a bit of a guilty pleasure. The Big Picture is one of those records. If you’ve ever harboured a soft spot for Saves the Day or Jimmy Eat World, then you’re going to have to listen to Arden.
The Big Picture is an EP of big, bold pop songs, overflowing with melody and lush instrumentation, boy/girl vocals and nods to the same vintage pop records that influenced Panic at The Disco on Pretty. Odd. What really makes Arden really special is Laurie Huebschman’s vocals, mostly understated, but at times, soaring, especially on the closing track Meet Me at Glen Rock which punctuates The Big Picture perfectly. Like the rest of the record, it’s life-affirming and expansive, but just more so.
This really is an amazing pop record that does a lot to correct the negative image of emo. It shows that girls do have a place in a world of boys in checked shirts and fringes and that emo-pop really does have a place in your record collection. It's nothing to be ashamed of, I promise.
Listen: www.myspace.com/arden
Tracklist:
1. A Slow Spiral Geoffrey
2. Movin' On
3. Grow!
4. Weather Patterns
5. The Second Time Around
6. Crickets
7. The Big Picture
8. Meet Me at Glen Rock
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