Song of the Day: Big Deal - Say Yes

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Morning Show with John Richards, is "Say Yes" by Big Deal from their 2016 album, Say Yes, on Fatcat Records.

Big Deal - Say Yes (MP3)

Who could've guessed a guitar lesson would turn into a Big Deal. Back in 2010, California-bred musician Kacey Underwood offered to teach London-based teenager Alice Costelloe how to play "Teenage Riot" by Sonic Youth. Despite the nearly ten-year age difference, the chemistry was undeniable, so they formed a songwriting partnership, taking them from classroom to club stage. They were quickly signed by Mute Records who released their debut, Lights Out, in 2011, and their sophomore album, June Gloom, in 2013.

But, when it came time for their third album, things weren't quite so easy. A laptop containing all their demos and ideas was stolen from Costelloe's home in late 2014. "We had to start everything from scratch — it was fight or flight and we decided to fight. Pretty much everything that could fall apart for us, did. This included parting with our label [Mute], breaking up a relationship, band members leaving, and losing all of our music when my apartment was broken in to. We didn’t want to give up, or revel in our misery. We decided instead to try and turn it into something magic."

They decided to Say Yes. The album reflects their do-or-die ethos in the face of adversity, and on today's Song of the Day, the refrain "everything works out right" echoes against shimmering, shoegaze-style guitar, escalating into passionately sung harmonies, crashing drums, and an almost arena-rock energy. With the addition of Jessica Batour (drums) and Jesse Wong (bass), the sound is bigger than ever before.

The band are playing quite a few European music festivals over the summer, but nothing booked for the U.S. at this time. Keep an eye on their Facebook or Twitter for future dates. Get a taste of their live performance with this fan-shot footage of today's Song of the Day, filmed at The Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham, UK, earlier this month.