Bria Salmena‘s debut solo album, Big Dog, released on March 28, 2025, via Sub Pop and Royal Mountain Records, marks a ferocious entry into her individual artistry.
Best known as the frontwoman of Toronto post-punk band FRIGS and for collaborations with Orville Peck, Salmena channels years of personal upheaval—including the pandemic—into a 13-track chronicle of transformation and resilience. The title, inspired by finding inner strength and support from loved ones, sets the tone for an album that’s raw, unpredictable, and deeply intimate.
Sonically, Big Dog is a shapeshifting beast, blending hazy indie rock, alt-country twang, krautrock pulses, and cabaret flair. Salmena‘s voice—powerful, hypnotic, and laced with a deadly hunger—anchors it all, drawing comparisons to Ethel Cain‘s grit and Lana Del Rey‘s romance.
Opener “Drastic” immerses listeners in twinkling atmospherics and driving guitars, reminiscing on fleeting moments of connection: “I don’t have big expectations / Whatever that means.”
“Stretch the Struggle” stands out as a visceral highlight, repeating “I just need it, need it, need it” to evoke raw desire for emotional wounds. Playful tracks like “Hammer” explore love with lines like “You are a hammer, you are a big dog,” while “See’er” haunts with its dramatic alt-country sprawl, feeling epic beyond its four minutes.
The album’s stylistic variety provides the jaunty “Backs of Birds” to the melancholic “Water Memory.” It’s hypnotic and entertaining, never asking permission before lashing out.
Big Dog is a declaration of unleashed potential, proving Salmena‘s killer instinct. It’s one to sit with, revealing layers of beauty and bite.
