Big Grief

The album artwork was created by Cristina Daura.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/WAAXBAND/photos/a.653355058029961/2510244009007714/|title=WAAX - well, this is emotional: we finally have the...|website=Facebook|date=19 June 2019|accessdate=27 June 2019}} Describing the album, frontwoman Maz DeVita said:

:"The whole album is about grief for so many things that I felt when we were writing the record and still do now. The way the world is so volatile at the moment, our environment, I talk about anxiety, mania, cutting ties with old friends and habits, my problems in the past with body image, and it's almost like a big mourning for all that. It's definitely an outpouring of grief in every sense of the word. But as much as I explored darker themes for Big Grief, I framed my melodies and vocal very colourfully and lively."

Shortly after the band signed to Dew Process they released their first single "Labrador" on 27 April 2018.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/labrador/1375421105?i=1375421325|title=Labrador by WAAX|website=Apple Music|date=27 April 2018|accessdate=27 June 2019}} The music video was released on 8 June.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkuh3Fq8zS0|title=WAAX - Labrador|author=WAAX|date=8 June 2018|accessdate=16 July 2019|via=YouTube}}

On 24 February 2019, the band posted the date "27.02.2019" to their social media accounts, hinting at a new single release.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/WAAXBAND/photos/a.653355058029961/2327159527316164/|title=WAAX - 27.02.2019|website=Facebook|date=24 February 2019|accessdate=27 June 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/waaxband/status/1099777315951730688|title=WAAX - 27.02.2019|website=Twitter|date=24 February 2019|accessdate=27 June 2019}} The second single, "FU", was premiered on Triple J's Good Nights segment, and was then made commercially available a day later.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/waaxband/status/1100139377575915520|title=WAAX - Tune in to @triplej Good Nights w/ @BHustwaite tonight from 6pm to hear our new single 'FU'|website=Twitter|date=26 February 2019|accessdate=27 June 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://wallofsoundau.com/2019/02/27/waax-finally-debut-that-fu-song-theyve-been-playing-at-shows-recently/|title=WAAX finally debut that 'FU' song they've been playing at shows recently|first=Paul|last=Brown|date=26 February 2019|website=Wall Of Sound|language=en-US|access-date=27 June 2019}} On 9 April, a music video for "FU" was released.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKGN9NT5Pr0|title=WAAX - FU|author=WAAX|date=9 April 2019|accessdate=27 June 2019|via=YouTube}}

On 14 May, Waax released their third single "I Am". On the same day they also announced an national tour for August, after their USA and Canadian tour.{{cite web|url=https://musicfeeds.com.au/news/waax-drop-new-single-i-am-announce-2019-national-tour/|title=WAAX Drop New Single 'I Am', Announce 2019 National Tour|publisher=Music Feeds|first=Jackson|last=Langford|date=15 May 2019|accessdate=27 June 2019}} On 18 June, the music video for "I Am" was released.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGrvzfmYeIs|title=WAAX - I Am|author=WAAX|date=18 June 2019|accessdate=27 June 2019|via=YouTube}}

The single "Labrador" as being about the Gold Coast suburb Labrador which frontwoman Maz DeVita described as a place where a significant relationship ended in her life.{{cite web|url=https://killyourstereo.com/news/1102258/waax-deliver-a-candid-emotional-past-on-labrador/|title=WAAX Deliver A Candid & Emotional Past On 'Labrador'|first=Alex|last=Sievers|publisher=KillYourStereo|date=5 May 2018|accessdate=27 June 2019}} Speaking about the single "FU", DeVita said: "This song is about a situation with someone in your life who is taking advantage of you and finally having to acknowledge reality and stand up to them. I hope it’s as cathartic for the listener as it was to write."{{cite web|url=https://www.hysteriamag.com/waax-return-powerful-new-single-fu/|title=WAAX // Return With Powerful New Single 'FU' |publisher=Hysteria Mag|first=Chanel |last=Issa |date=27 February 2019|accessdate=17 July 2019}} The track "History" details DeVita's experience in her teenage years wherein she suffered from an eating disorder. "Fade" is about a friend of DeVita's who went through a hard time being victim blamed and having no one believe them. DeVita explained the single "I Am" as being "about wanting to please someone so much that you forget who you are in the process."

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = Depth

| rev1Score = 8/10{{cite web|url=http://www.depthmag.com/waax-big-grief/|title=WAAX – Big Grief (Review)|first=Jack|last=Walsh|publisher=Depth Magazine|date=19 August 2019|accessdate=21 August 2019}}

| rev2 = Hysteria

| rev2Score = 9/10{{cite web|url=https://www.hysteriamag.com/waax-big-grief/|title=WAAX // Big Grief|first=Owen |last=Morawitz|publisher=Hysteria Magazine|date=19 August 2019|accessdate=21 August 2019}}

| rev3 = The Music

| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://themusic.com.au/reviews/waax-big-grief-anna-rose/fI1kbpGQk5I/|title=WAAX / Big Grief|first=Anna|last=Rose|publisher=Handshake Media|work=The Music|date=21 August 2019|accessdate=21 August 2019}}

| rev4 = Wall of Sound

| rev4Score = 8/10{{cite web|url=https://wallofsoundau.com/2019/08/19/waax-big-grief-album-review/|title=WAAX – Big Grief (Album Review)|first=Rory|last=McDonald|publisher=Wall of Sound|date=19 August 2019|accessdate=21 August 2019}}

}}

The album received positive reviews. Jack Walsh from Depth magazine praised it saying the album's good points were: "Empowering words through hard themes. Nice runtime. Incredible production. Vocal skills are untouchable." However criticised the bad points as: "At times it feels more like a collection of singles than a cohesive and continuous vibe." In a positive review from Wall of Sound, Rory McDonald said: "Big Grief is gold from front to back. [...] the band has stayed true to their authentic brand of punk and they have served it up nicely." In a 9-out-of-10 review, Hysteria praised DeVita's emotional vocal delivery of the lyrics. The Music, in a positive reviews states that: "WAAX have redefined what it means to be punk in the 21st century. This is an album that makes a point, one that sits on the top end of the anguish scale without sacrificing the band's melodic ingenuity."

Track listing adapted from Apple Music.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/big-grief/1468439841|title=Big Grief by WAAX|website=Apple Music|accessdate=16 July 2019}}

{{track listing|all_writing = Maz DeVita and Chris Antolak

| title1 = Big Grief

| length1 = 2:43

| title2 = Labrador

| length2 = 3:41

| title3 = No Apology

| length3 = 3:51

| title4 = FU

| length4 = 3:47

| title5 = History

| length5 = 3:50

| title6 = Changing Face

| length6 = 3:38

| title7 = Fade

| length7 = 3:39

| title8 = Little Things

| length8 = 3:36

| title9 = I Am

| length9 = 3:26

| title10 = Why

| length10 = 2:15

| title11 = Last Week

| length11 = 2:27

| title12 = I.D.K.W.I.F.L

| note12 = stands for 'I Don't Know What It Feels Like'

| length12 = 4:12

| total_length = 41:05

}}

Adapted from the album's sleeve.

Waax

• Marie "Maz" DeVita – vocals
• Chris Antolak – lead guitar
• Ewan Birtwell – rhythm guitar
• Tom Griffin – bass guitar
• Tom Bloomfield – drums

• Bernard Fanning – production, keyboard
• Nick DiDia – production, mixing, engineering
• Leon Zervos – mastering

• Cristina Daura – album art

{{Reflist}}

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Category:2019 debut albums

Category:Waax (band) albums

Category:Albums produced by Bernard Fanning

Category:Dew Process albums

{{Discogs master|1597820}}