B-Side Guys

If you’re looking for a song that’ll make you want to slam dance in your bedroom and then cry into your pillow, Big Head’s got you covered with their latest track, “Kicker 2.” This Brooklyn duo is serving up a deliciously messy blend of shoegaze, lo-fi rock, and alt-rock that’s equal parts energetic and emo.

From the first distorted guitar riff, “Kicker 2” kicks down the door and barges into your brain like an uninvited party guest. Haley and Parth’s vocals are the perfect mix of apathetic and angsty, delivering lines like “I’m so stupid I never learn” with the kind of deadpan charm that’ll make you want to be their best friend and their therapist all at once.

Lyrically, “Kicker 2” is a masterclass in self-deprecating humor and existential dread. Lines like “Cole told me to fake my death / I’ve been thinkin bout it / see what happens next” are delivered with a shrug and a smirk, like the musical equivalent of that meme where the dog is sitting in a burning room saying “this is fine.” It’s the kind of gallows humor that’ll make you laugh and then immediately feel bad for laughing.

But beneath the jokes and the jaded exterior, there’s a vulnerability to “Kicker 2” that’s impossible to ignore. When Haley and Parth sing “maybe this is how it’s supposed to be / what you wanted from me / what you wanted to be,” it’s like a gut-punch of raw emotion, a glimpse behind the curtain of their carefully cultivated chaos.

Musically, “Kicker 2” is a glorious mess of fuzzed-out guitars, pounding drums, and feedback that’ll make your ears ring in the best possible way. It’s the kind of song that feels like it’s about to fall apart at any moment, but somehow stays together through sheer force of will and a healthy dose of duct tape. If you’re a fan of Liz Phair’s no-fucks-given attitude and Title Fight’s raw, unfiltered energy, then this track is going to be your new obsession.

But what really sets “Kicker 2” apart is the way it captures the essence of being young, dumb, and in love with your own mess. It’s a song for anyone who’s ever made bad decisions on purpose, who’s ever followed their crush around like a lost puppy, who’s ever looked in the mirror and thought “well, at least I’m entertaining.” It’s a celebration of the chaos and the confusion of youth, a middle finger to the idea that you have to have your shit together to be worthy of love and attention.

So turn up the volume, put on your scuffed-up Docs, and get ready to thrash around your bedroom to Big Head’s “Kicker 2.” It might not change your life, but it’ll make you feel damn good about being a beautiful disaster for a little while. And in a world that’s always telling us to grow up and get serious, that’s something worth celebrating.