Big Head Todd and the Monsters ‘Her Way Out’ Review

Photo: Kirsten Cohen

Big Head Todd and the Monsters ‘Her Way Out’ Review

By Stephen Guppy

Big Head Todd and the Monsters are among the more durable American rock bands. The Colorado rockers now have a dozen studio albums, half a dozen live sets, and a compilation into their getting-on-forty-year career. Throw in a couple of blues albums courtesy of their side-hustle, the Big Head Blues Club, and that’s a substantial achievement and a whole lot of mileage on the tour bus. Their latest offering, Her Way Out, will be spreading is wings on May 31.

Front man “Big Head” Todd Park Mohr is your proverbial triple-threat: he’s a strong vocalist with a distinctive tone, he writes most of the group’s songs, and saying he’s a serious guitar-slinger is something of an understatement. To the casual observer, the band’s arrangements recall CCR in its heyday, with John Fogarty doing the heavy lifting and the other guys choogling along in the background. Dismissing Mohr’s colleagues as competent sidemen would be doing them a disservice, however: bassist Rob Squires, drummer Brian Nevin, and keyboardist/second guitarist Jeremy Lawton are as vital to the band’s magic as Mohr. It’s the tension between front man and a very creative rhythm section that makes this rock machine shake, rattle, and roll.

In their live performances and recordings, BHT&TM are the masters of the slow burn. Quite a few of their better-known numbers start off sounding like singer-songwriter folk-rock or Nashville country, with strummed open chords and a simple progression. There’s a nervous urgency to the drums and bass that foreshadows a coming detonation, but it takes a while before the action ramps up. That strategy is less apparent on Her Way Out than it has been on previous occasions, but it’s still the basic pattern of the band’s arrangements. Drummer Nevin is crucial to that strategy: he’s particularly strong on the cymbals, whacking away at the hardware to punctuate the band’s riffs with staccato chimes, sizzles, and crashes.

“Her Way Out,” the lead-off track, has a straight-outta-Nashville, hard night at the honky-tonk feel. In typical BHT&TM style, however, this laid-back country boot-scooter rapidly evolves into an old-fashioned rock-and-roll anthem that sets us up for the energetic rockers that dominate the rest of the set.

The song, “Thunderbird,” is an enjoyable, get-up-and-shake-your ass rock-‘n-roller that cuts close to ‘seventies classic rock, powered along by a crunchy riff and some hair-metal guitar pyrotechnics. Mohr’s impressive guitar chops have always been a highlight of this outfits’ work, and he’s in fine form throughout the album.

“Crush” starts with a jazzy shuffle that recalls Steely Dan. Mohr’s fills and brief solo show off his ability to conjure up melodic licks. When he’s in full flight, his style may remind you of Mick Taylor or Mark Knopfler. The song ends on a graceful arpeggio that blends into a burst of feedback, taking us into “Don’t Kill Me”, a rockabilly-flavoured old-west murder ballad that features some strong work from drummer Nevins. Mohr takes off on a twangy riff right out of an Al Caiola movie theme—yee-haw!

“Glorious Full Moon” is a straight-ahead rocker with a strong chorus and an effective change-of-pace bridge that features some of Mohr’s best lyrics. You can imagine this number becoming a favourite of the band’s fans and a staple of their live shows.

“My New Number One” ramps up the energy-level and contrasts gritty verses and a lyrical chorus. Mohr digs into the strings and pulls out some metalhead licks over brontosaurus bass riffs from Squires. “Into The Light” continues the contrast between verses and chorus. This hooky number would be perfect for cranking up when you’re cruising the strip in your vintage muscle car—it’s got that sing-along, wave your lighter, classic rock feel.

“Twice as Bright” offers a change of pace after three up-tempo songs; this one’s mainstream pop-rock enlivened by another memorable chorus and Mohr’s luminous guitar fills.

BHT&TM funks it up on “King Kong”, with Jeremy Lawton’s synth keys prominent in the mix: the Jeff Beck/Jan Hammer collaborations of ‘seventies come to mind, particularly when Mohr rips into a jazzy solo pitched in some Middle-Eastern-sounding scale.

“Rainbow Girl” continues the motifs we’ve been hearing throughout the album, adding some spacey synth-keys work from Lawton and another kick-out-the-jams solo from the redoubtable Big Head Todd. Moving the synth up in the mix is an inspired strategy: it’s a great way to bring the show to its final curtain. There’s nothing particularly new or shocking about Her Way Out; long-time fans won’t be scratching their heads over BHT&TM’s latest platter.

Unlike some long-lived rock groups, Big Head Todd & The Monsters don’t chase trends and jump on bandwagons. We’re spared any ill-advised lurches into synth-pop or hip-hop or bland New Country. While there’s no obvious successor to “Bittersweet” or “Broken Hearted Savior”, there are no weak tracks or flat spots—every cut on the album carries its weight and rewards repeated listening. If there’s anything disappointing here, it’s that most songs are relatively short, so despite BHT&TM’s jazz-rock inclinations, there’s not a lot of room for epic solos or improvisation: we’ll have to catch them live for that. Given the strength of Mohr’s songwriting and the band’s obvious prowess, lining up your tickets soon might be an excellent idea. Nearly four decades into their journey, the Monsters are in full flight again.

Listen to “Her Way Out” Here