Though I haven’t yet written about him on this blog, I’ve been keeping an eye on BigOne’s music over the past few months. With so many idol acts adopting a rock sound and image, it’s nice to head straight to the source and hear a straightforward rocker fueled by punk energy. BigOne’s singles Password 486 and Windy Day (featuring Jay B!) showed great promise. What he lacks in vocal range he makes up for in pure energy, and new single Star is no different.

Star arrives alongside the release of BigOne’s full-length album BIGONEISTHENAME, originally scheduled for November 1st. The song features guest vocalist Goopy (these stage names are killing me) and offers a shot of rock intensity. Opening with an anthemic guitar riff, Star chugs along with a single-minded approach, quickly establishing its rollicking tempo and never straying from that through-line. The punchy chorus builds naturally from the verses. Neither segment is innovative or particularly thrilling on its own (I prefer the choruses of Promise 486 and Windy Day), but sometimes all you want is a hearty dose of spirit without needless divergences or trendy concessions.

Goopy’s higher tone makes for a nice foil against the gruff, rugged performance from BigOne, and I wish the two joined forces to forge a more robust sound during the chorus. We get a glimpse of this potential via ad-libs, but I crave a big, layered sound. I mean, the song is practically begging for some Mutt Lange-style histrionics. But as with past singles, charisma wins the day. The performances sell the song in a big way, and I look forward to seeing where BigOne takes his music next.

Grade: B-