Big Hurry’s ‘Low’ an uplifting 17 minutes

Big Hurry

Gets Me Low

Rocks Like: Garbage,… Big Hurry

Gets Me Low

Rocks Like: Garbage, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Grade: A-

In the somewhat male-dominated Pittsburgh music scene, bands with female members remind us that women can be involved in great local music, too. Thankfully, Big Hurry’s follow-up EP to its 2009 debut Silver Screens does just that.

The band’s new CD, Gets Me Low, demonstrates a distinct maturation while still retaining many of the initial promising qualities. Like the previous album, an indie-rock feel is omnipresent, with crunchy guitars and slamming drums. This time, however, Big Hurry’s sound seems tighter, crisper and more driven, as opposed to the mopier, wandering nature of Silver Screens.

The band’s tone has undergone a similar makeover: Whereas Silver Screens had an anger and sadness reminiscent of a young teenaged girl, Gets Me Low is more controlled — it has a similar wounded feeling, but manages to pick itself up and move on. The title track, for example, has a bouncy rhythm to it — something Silver Screens lacked.

One of the most welcome additions is the voice of drummer Dani Buncher. Haunting and gorgeous, her vocals are the perfect complement to indie-rock instrumentals. On “This In Between,” for example, she and vocalist Kelly Tobias harmonize beautifully, creating a triumphant melody while drums crash and guitars reverberate behind them.

The album is short — just five tracks and 17 minutes — but promises a great listen for lovers of indie or someone who’s just getting out of a bad breakup.