by David Wilikofsky
Big Blood is a family affair. Originally formed in 2006 by husband and wife Colleen Kinsella and Caleb Mulkerin, the duo has amassed quite a discography over the years. On Do You Have a Skeleton Dream?, their daughter Quinnisa also joins them. In a discography full of highlights, Big Blood manage to outdo themselves on this one.
The album opens with the voice of a mother and child. “What is your favorite thing to do before you fall asleep at night?”, the mother asks. “Have a skeleton dream”, the child replies. Most likely not by coincidence, Big Blood goes on to lay down some of the dreamiest music of their career over the course of this album. Shades of classic Julie Cruise songs haunt tracks like “Sugar” and “Monsters of Men”, both of which easily could have been played in one ofTwin Peaks: The Return‘s Roadhouse scenes. Others, like “Sweet Talker”, play with doo-wop rhythms and girl group vocal arrangements. My personal favorite track, “Insecure Kids”, is the most poignant interrogation I’ve heard of what it means to be a kid in today’s technology driven world. This album is all killer and no filler; there’s not a dud track to be found here.
This is an album that just drifts by as you listen, enveloping you in its sonic world and leaving you wanting more. I’ve played this record nonstop for the past few days, and it’s been a great distraction from the stress of everything thats happening in the real world. You can support Big Blood and find this album (along with many others) over on their Bandcamp page; if streaming is more your thing, this album (but no others) are available on most streaming platforms.