Pet Symmetry – Big Symmetry

Chicago’s Pet Symmetry, Evan Weiss (Vocals, Bass),  Marcus Nuccio (Vocals, Drums), and Erik Czaja (Vocals, Guitar), have always been the kind of band who wrap massive feelings in big fuzzy guitars and even bigger inside jokes. If, like me, you’ve followed them from their earlier records like Pets Hounds and the perfection that is Vision, you’ll know them as the kind of outfit who blend the sincerity of emo’s golden age with the unshakable energy of power-pop and the sideways humour of three best mates who really should know better. But with Big Symmetry, their long-awaited third album, they’ve gone and done something none of us saw coming: they’ve made a record about love. Real love. Big love.

This isn’t a love album in the traditional sense, though. It’s not soft-focus ballads and candlelit choruses. Instead, Big Symmetry is a full-throttle fuzz-fest written in a burst of inspiration and recorded over four years of weddings, side-projects, global pandemics, and the sort of joyful chaos that comes from growing up without letting go of your inner goofball. It’s a record forged in snowy cabins in Illinois, shaped by card games, psychedelics, and prank t-shirts. According to the band’s own (very charming) press release, it wasn’t even meant to be about love. But it turns out, when you put three long-time friends in a cabin with guitars and no distractions, love just kind of leaks out.

The result is the band’s most cohesive, most heartfelt, and—dare we say—most mature effort to date, without sacrificing the toothy grins or tongue-in-cheek humour that made them so endearing in the first place.

That charming press release was written by the band members wives. Here’s a short extract telling us what to expect.

Let’s dig in and see how big this goes!

The album opens up low-key with a lo-fi demo take of the title track. It’s stripped back to just voice, acoustic guitar, and sparse keys, which really lets the emotion at the heart of the song shine through. There’s a quiet bravery in starting a record known for its full-band bombast with something this vulnerable. It feels like being let into the room where it all began—before the amps, before the production, before the clever winks and hooks. Weiss’s voice sounds close and unvarnished, almost like he’s sitting next to you on the floor, quietly working through feelings too tender to dress up. There’s a rawness in the delivery—cracks in the voice, slight hesitations—that speak volumes. The lyrics are impressionistic but emotionally direct, sketching out the themes of the record: connection, intimacy, and the unexpected gravity of friendship and love. ‘Big Symmetry’ sets the tone for the album that follows—honest, heart-driven, and unafraid to be a little messy in the name of something real.  It’s a gutsy move, this opening. Instead of launching straight into a big guitar track, Pet Symmetry ask us to pause, to listen closely, and to take their big love seriously.

We’re back in classic Pet Symmetry territory next with the emotive and explosive ‘Big Engagement’—a track that sees the band fire on all cylinders, channelling anxiety, excitement, and elation into a fuzz-blasted, shout-along anthem. It’s a study on the whole experience of popping the question, but not in a Hallmark card way. This is Pet Symmetry, after all. The track opens with a taut, nervous energy—angular chords and tightly coiled drums that mirror the internal panic of overthinking the biggest decision of your life. Evan’s lyrics cut right to the marrow but what makes ‘Big Engagement’ so effective is its emotional duality. ‘Big Engagement’ is everything Pet Symmetry do best: melodic chaos with heart, humour, and a hook that lingers long after the rings on the finger.

Up next, we’re making a ‘Big Wish’, and with it comes one of the album’s most uplifting moments. It’s a triumphant return to soaring melodies, dynamic arrangements, and the kind of storytelling lyrics that Pet Symmetry have quietly mastered over the years. If ‘Big Engagement’ was the nervous flutter before a leap, then ‘Big Wish’ is the rush of air once you’re in freefall—wide-eyed, weightless, and weirdly at peace. Musically, the track glides. Shimmering lead lines sit atop a tight rhythm section that sounds like it’s running on pure adrenaline, yet still leaves plenty of space for Weiss’s vocals to breathe. There’s a little Midwest emo DNA baked in—mathy flourishes and subtle rhythmic tricks—but it’s all anchored by a killer chorus that feels instantly timeless. This is Pet Symmetry at their most melodically generous.

A warm and breezy highlight, ‘Big Island’ finds Pet Symmetry indulging their most laid-back impulses, and the result is nothing short of golden-hour magic. This track is the sound of sand between your toes, a cold drink in your hand, and not a deadline in sight. The band drape the track in chorus-drenched guitars that glisten like sun off the waves. There’s a gentle sway to the rhythm section—Marcus Nuccio’s drumming is easy going but tight, while Erik Czaja lays down melodic basslines that bounce like flip-flops on a boardwalk. It’s not showy, it’s not trying to prove anything. Instead, it’s confident in its cool, happy to just be. Lyrically, it’s a celebration of simple pleasures and you can practically smell the coconut sunscreen. There’s a genuine gratitude here, a kind of sunburnt nostalgia that avoids the trap of cliché by staying rooted in specific, lived-in imagery. It’s not paradise as fantasy—it’s paradise as a lucky accident.

‘Big Diamonds’ could easily be a sister track to ‘You & Me & Mt. Hood’ from Pet Symmetry’s Vision era. There’s a shared DNA here—the laid-back pace, the gently melancholy tone, and that now-signature call-and-response vocal interplay that feels like an overheard conversation between old friends. But while Mt. Hood gazed inward with a slightly bruised heart, ‘Big Diamonds’ reframes the introspection for a different time, a different lens—one that glints with maturity, warmth, and acceptance. The arrangement is deceptively simple. Clean, chiming guitars ripple while the rhythm section keeps things spacious and grounded. There’s a real elegance in how it all unfolds—never in a hurry, never reaching for bombast. It’s that mid-tempo sweet spot Pet Symmetry pull off so well, where every instrument feels like it’s breathing in sync. There’s a subtle emotional arc in ‘Big Diamonds’. It starts almost tentative, uncertain, but gradually builds into something quietly triumphant. No big crescendo, just the feeling of resolution. Like someone finally exhaling after holding their breath for too long. The whole thing plays like a sigh—peaceful, earned, and just a little wistful.

Now here’s where the emotional weight hits hardest. ‘Big Steve’ is a eulogy wrapped in fuzz—a heartfelt, tribute to a friend gone too soon. It’s raw, it’s ragged, and it might just be the emotional core of Big Symmetry. Pet Symmetry have always had a knack for sneaking gut punches between the jokes and jangly riffs, but this time they lean all the way in. There’s no wink, no irony. Just grief, laid bare. The guitars come in heavy, thick with distortion, but there’s a tenderness beneath the noise. It’s that classic Midwestern emo trick: marry sadness to volume and let the listener scream their sorrow into the ether. And that chorus—my god. It’s massive. A cathartic, melodic detonation that sounds like it was recorded in a single take, heart in mouth. You can hear the ache in Weiss’s voice. But ‘Big Steve’ isn’t just about sadness. It’s also a celebration. The track surges with love, with memories, with gratitude for having known someone worth missing this much.  In a record full of big feelings and bigger sounds, ‘Big Steve’ is the moment that swells beyond music. It’s communal mourning, it’s shared healing, and it’s a reminder that the loudest songs are sometimes the ones about loss.

‘Big Water Cooler’ kicks off with a thumping bassline that immediately grabs you by the collar. It’s chunky, it’s confident, and honestly? It’s a hook in its own right. The bass work here is masterful—groovy and propulsive, like a heartbeat in steel-toe boots. From the first few seconds, you know you’re in for something punchy and playful, but still razor-sharp. Musically, this is one of the album’s most rhythm-forward cuts. The drums lock in with that swaggering low-end to build something irresistibly taut, almost danceable. It’s got a touch of Talking Heads in its DNA—a little off-kilter funk woven into the emo tapestry—but still distinctly Pet Symmetry, especially when the fuzz kicks in and the guitars join the party with chunky downstrokes and sly little flourishes. Lyrically, it’s a sharp and wry number, turning everyday mundanity into something weirdly profound. But like all good Pet Symmetry songs, there’s a clever emotional bait-and-switch: what starts as a song about corporate ennui slowly transforms into a commentary on modern disconnection. ‘Big Water Cooler’ is a smart, deceptively heavy track that proves Pet Symmetry can do groove just as well as grit.

Arguably the most whimsical and joyfully unhinged moment on Big Symmetry, ‘Big Barker’ is the kind of song only Pet Symmetry could pull off without it collapsing into novelty. It’s a love song of sorts—just not to a partner, or even a van this time. No, this one goes out to Charlie Barker, the dog next door, whose antics clearly made a big enough impression to warrant an entire track in his honour. From the jump, the energy is pure dopamine. The rhythm section bounces with a light, almost ska-adjacent skip—Nuccio’s drums are tight but playful, while the bassline hops like a tennis ball being chased through tall grass. The guitars are jangly and bright, echoing the sunny disposition of their four-legged muse. And yes, there are actual woofs layered into the backing vocals. Not overdone, not kitsch—just perfectly timed little yips that land somewhere between charming and completely deranged. The Fountains of Wayne comparison is so spot-on. There’s that same ear for sticky melodies and tongue-in-cheek storytelling, that same ability to write something ridiculous that somehow ends up being secretly poignant. Think ‘Stacy’s Mom’ meets a suburban dog park fever dream. It’s fun. It’s fearless. It’s got bark and bite. And it proves Pet Symmetry aren’t afraid to follow their hearts—even if it leads them to a song about a neighbour’s dog.

It’s time to grab a ‘Big Opportunity’, and Pet Symmetry do just that with one of the most ambitious and theatrical tracks on the record. This one’s a masterclass in their ability to juggle the playful and the profound—all big dynamic flourishes, unexpected twists, and those ever-reliable signature backing vocals. From the outset, there’s a sense that this track is about to go places. The guitars lurch into action like they’ve been waiting impatiently in the wings, all jagged edges and glorious dissonance, before dropping away just as quickly into verses that flirt with restraint. It’s this push-pull dynamic—loud then soft, heavy then hushed—that gives ‘Big Opportunity’ its theatre-kid-on-a-sugar-rush momentum.

Oh Vanessa, you glorious rust bucket. ‘Big Mileage’ is exactly what it sounds like: a full-throttle, open-road love song to Pet Symmetry’s dearly departed tour van. But in true Pet Symmetry fashion, it’s not just funny—it’s oddly emotional. This track is a blast of bittersweet adrenaline, mixing punk urgency with garage-rock charm and a lyrical wink that’s as sincere as it is side-splitting. From the opening riff, you know this is going to be a rager. The guitars are crunchy and insistent, driving like bald tires on a sun-baked interstate. The rhythm section revs with propulsive energy, like the van itself pushing past its limits one more time for the sake of one last show. It’s kinda Weezer-meets-Superchunk, with just enough grime in the tone to keep things raw and real. There’s a sense of chaos in the playing—like the van could fall apart mid-song, but everyone’s still having a blast. What’s incredible is how Pet Symmetry turn a song about a smelly, dying van into one of the album’s most heartfelt highlights. It’s funny, yes, but it’s also about friendship, loyalty, and the bittersweet feeling of moving on from the things that once held your world together. ‘Big Mileage’ is a fuzzed-out, full-hearted farewell to the beast that carried the band’s dreams across countless state lines.

Next Pet Symmetry take a sharp left turn into hushed, lo-fi territory with ‘Big Guilt Trip’—a soft, stripped-back comedown that’s soaked in introspection and subtle heartbreak. It’s a return to the acoustic intimacy of the album’s opener, bookending the record with a deep sigh rather than a bang, and it’s all the more powerful for it. The production is delightfully raw. There’s no polish, no reverb-soaked theatrics—just Evan Weiss quietly unraveling his regrets like a crumpled note left on a kitchen table. The lo-fi aesthetic lends the song a confessional tone, like you’re overhearing someone working through something they haven’t quite figured out how to say aloud yet.

Closing out Big Symmetry is ‘Big Doink’, and it’s the perfect way to cap off this wild ride of an album. ‘Big Doink’ finds itself gently driving with a laid-back groove, but still carrying that distinct Pet Symmetry pulse. It’s laid-back, but there’s an undeniable energy that propels it forward, keeping things grounded while still giving a sense of spaciousness. Lyrically, ‘Big Doink’ seems to channel a moment of blissful release—a snapshot of living in the moment and the occasional thrill of indulgence. There’s a subtle sense of finality in the track, not in a way that says “goodbye,” but more like a quiet acknowledgment that things can end without fanfare. It’s a track that leaves space for the listener to decide what the end of the album means for them—whether it’s a moment of satisfaction or a reminder that sometimes, the best way to finish things is to just let the music flow. A fitting send-off for a record that’s about love, life, and everything in between—nothing more, nothing less.

Big Symmetry is Pet Symmetry’s most vulnerable, joyful, and fully-formed record yet. It’s an album that radiates affection—for each other, for the lives they’ve built, for the tiny absurd details that make up our days. In stepping away from irony and leaning into feeling, they’ve created something that still rocks big time, but hits even harder emotionally.

What’s so magical here is that nothing feels forced. The love pours out naturally—from riffs written in snowy cabins, lyrics inspired by daily life, and the kind of deep friendships that have weathered the wilds of the indie touring circuit. It’s a big record with a bigger heart. And like all the best love letters, it’s messy, passionate, and utterly sincere. So, go listen. Fall in love a little. Hug your dog. Text your mates. And for god’s sake, get your van serviced.

Big Symmetry is out now on some lovely vinyl variants via Storm Chasers LTD / Asian Man Records and you can check the album out over on the Pet Symmetry Bandcamp page. UK folks can order via the ever amazing Devil Dog Distro.

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