Big B Lets Everyone Know He’s OK on 8th LP “Wellness Check” (Album Review)
Everyone’s favorite Vegas hooligan Big B is back for his 8th LP. Starting out as the frontman for 187, he would go on to join OPM following the demise of 187 & become a household name for the infamous California powerhouse Suburban Noize Records just a couple years later. His first 3 solo albums High Class White Trash, White Trash Renegade & More to Hate would become some of my favorite releases that the label has ever put out. Last we heard from B was during the pandemic when he dropped his comeback album Welcome to the Club & since reuniting with Michael Bradford on Members Only roughly 16 months ago, it’s only right for a Wellness Check.
After the titular intro, the first song “Time” is a fun boom bap opener to the Vegas Hooligan’s first full-length in 4 talking about life moving as fast as it is whereas the lead single “Sidecar” featuring G. Love, Peachole & Special Sauce goes reggae-pop embracing the boundless journey of life & extends the invitation to like-minded souls to partake in joy & fulfillment. “Loser” takes the pop rap route aesthetically explaining that someone’s gotta lose in order for someone else to win prior to the stripped-back “Further” talking about being unsure as to where he’s going & that it can’t be like last time.
“Broke AF” featuring the Common Kings dabbles into pop punk territory explaining that it really isn’t that much of a crime to enjoy yourself every once & a while leading into the electronic dance/hip hop hybrid “Fuck You” revolves itself around a breakup being done with a woman who wasn’t by his side giving him nothing but broken promises. “Slow Down” featuring The Aggrolites & The Debonaires assures over horns that they ain’t got time for nobody’s bullshit whatsoever just before the rap rock joint “F.2.T.F. (Foot 2 the Floor)” talks about doing the best with the cards he was dealt.
Peachole returns for the upbeat track inspired “Shinjuku Hotel” providing a dedication for his people rather than his peers while the summery “Drugs & Alcohol” reminds y’all exactly how he feels about both of those things. “2 Choices” featuring Merkules was a fun, party-starting choice of a 2nd single explaining that there’s no time for excuses since the bullshit will be useless in the end while “Fallin’” dabbling with trap acknowledging that he’s said he’ll never change, but he just might have to.
“Sparks” nears the end of the Wellness Check mixing hip hop & reggae explaining that everything will be ok & not wanting to see this person run away tonight sticking by their sides putting in as much effort to making it right as possible while the final single “Pretend” featuring Killer Mike embraces rap rock once again telling people to live their lives as much as they can due to the fact that some really don’t know what happens when we’re not here anymore. “Simple Song” concludes B’s first album in 4 years throwing it back to the Welcome to the Club having a duct-taped broken heart & a 5th of whiskey when it falls apart.
Surrounded by organic inspiration, Big B lets the world who knows him as a recording artist that he’s doing great & for those who wrote him off, he’s here again to say a few things & celebrate where he is now. Not only does it serve as a multi-dimensional narrative about B’s current station in life intentionally crafting a hodgepodge of musical styles dipping into realms of hip hop, punk, acoustic songwriting, ska & harkens to a signature SoCal sound that simultaneously evokes a sense of ease, nostalgia & forward motion.
Score: 7/10
