Features the Top 3 single ‘Say Something’ with Christina Aguilera – certified gold and receiving airplay across The Edge, ZM, More FM,The Breeze and Classic Hits.
Review:
New York pop duo A Great Big World enter the big leagues with their debut
LP Is There Anybody Out There? After several years of kicking around the Big
Apple's singer/songwriter scene, Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino entered the
public's consciousness in 2013 when their spirited piano anthem “This Is
the New Year” was covered on an episode of Fox's zeitgeist generator Glee.
The song first appeared on Axel's 2011 solo record and then reappeared
post-Glee under the duo's newly adopted moniker. With their earnest, melodic
piano-pop and youthful spirit, comparisons to early Ben Folds Five are
inevitable, but where Folds tempered his wistfulness with a wry and often
mischievous sense of humor, Axel and Vaccarino generally reach for the stars,
fueled largely by hope and positivity. The thirteen song album they've built
around their breakout single is truly a loaded gun of pop music and it hits the
mark more often than not. Brimming with echoes of past piano masters like Billy
Joel and Andy Pratt, they're not breaking the mold, but they've certainly read
the book. From the E.L.O. punch of “Land of Opportunity” to the
Buggles-punctuated “I Really Want It,” they tackle some classic pop
territory with a wide-eyed sincerity that is ultimately appealing if
occasionally trite. A Great Big World fare best when they're singing
full-hearted rockers to the back of the room, covering familiar subjects of
breaking out and breaking through like on the album version of “This Is the
New Year.” Dan Romer's production is concise and full of punch recalling his
work with bands like Jukebox the Ghost and Ingrid Michaelson. There are
certainly moments on Is There Anybody Out There? that don't quite work or would
benefit from some subtlety. The well-intentioned, but poorly executed
“Everyone is Gay” really misses badly and several of the ballads can't seem
to recover from their lack of personality. Still, if you're willing to drink
their kool-aid, A Great Big World will deliver you to a pretty happy and
hopeful place on this debut.
All Music Guide – Timothy Monger