Metroland
The Capital Region's Alternative Newsweekly

IMI
The First Big Nasty (No Label Listed)

Given that I had something of a preconceived notion of what this band were about when I first popped this CD in, it gave a scare: a bombast of fuzzy guitar chords made me think I had the wrong record, but the dust soon cleared, a funky syncopated beat arose, and, finally, they be jammin', man.
Drawing mainly from reggae and ska influences, the tunes on The First Big Nasty work well. "No" is an angry rant about being used and taken advantage of; "The Homeless" is a peppy social commentary. "I'a Conscious" sports quasi-spiritual references implying that a deeper IMI lurks nearby. For balance, "Smooth" leans toward the carnal, while the classic "Israelites" is simply great fun.
Vocalist Timur Bey sings with a warm, compelling voice, one that just jumps out of the mix. His heartfelt delivery and strong personality hold it all together. IMI have a curious way of mixing light upbeats with heavy-metal guitar parts, which is often puzzling but at the very least could be considered an identifying trait.
All in all, The First Big Nasty is just that -- their first step as a band as they find their footing. Actually, it's a mighty confident and effective first step. Let's see what they do (and where they go) next.