Review Summary: Essentially a condensed "Under the CD Tree"
The third release of The George Jacobs Experience (following "Under the CD Tree" and "Demos to Show") is the "Big Man on Campus" EP. By the time this was in the recording process former bassist Colin Smith had quit the band, and the band consisted of George Jacobs (Vocals, Guitar), Bill Roseberry (Drums), and Pete Aragi (Bass). Little known fact, this release was going to be a two-disc studio effort, but it then got condensed to one disc, and then to only four songs. And, while the four songs aren't the worst the band has to offer, they fail to make a lasting impact on the listener.
The EP opens with the title track, a straightforward hard-rocker that feels more like a leftover from "Under the CD Tree" than anything else. It was essentially meant to be a song that addressed that the band was making music again following their hiatus. The production on this song, and the rest of the album for that matter, is a step up from their previous releases, but only a very small step up. The title track is a decent song, probably one of the band's best, but it lacks a wow-factor. It is the epitome of 'playing it safe'. The fourth track has a similar mentality, while the two middle tracks are some of the most experimental that the band released on a mainstream album. The second song, "On Top of Rotini (The Lust for Blood)", is more experimental than any songs on "Under the CD Tree". While it is not a good song, it manages to be an interesting listen for at least the first couple of times. It features tons of distorted guitar and screaming by George Jacobs. It displays a sharp contrast from "Big Man on Campus" - the previous track. The third song is "The Descent", which is a 6-minute instrumental. It is honestly not that bad, but it should have been significantly shorter. Like "On Top of Rotini", it features mainly distorted guitars and some other progressive elements, which make it somewhat interesting. The final track is the biggest hit off the EP, "I Am the Bread". Originally advertised as The George Jacobs Experience's final song, it was a popular single with an accompanying music video. It is an acoustic song, almost similar to "Silly Serenade", but more upbeat. This is one of the band's only songs in which the lyrics are crisp and understandable, which is a huge plus. It ends the EP on a rather high note, which was unseen in "Under the CD Tree".
In conclusion, "Big Man on Campus" is a decent EP for someone who is a fan of The George Jacobs Experience. However, it is not for the faint of heart and has some very experimental songs on it. The only song on the EP that I would deem a truly essential George Jacobs Experience song is "I Am the Bread".
