[6] Produced by Jeff Cole, Big as Life was recorded in Austin, Texas, in a warehouse room above the Electric Lounge club.

[12] "Blood of the Wolf" is about a childhood friend who attempted to rob a Kentucky Fried Chicken with a fork.

[16] The Dallas Observer stated that Hamell "destroys the perception of the self-serious acoustic folkie who believes wisdom lies in glib aphorism and weepy revelation.

"[20] The Record concluded that "Hamell combines explosive punk-edged fury and a scathing acoustic guitar style ... with poetic lyrics that are sometimes humorous, sometimes upsetting, sometimes poignant but always edged with a razor-sharp honesty.

"[21] AllMusic wrote that Hamell "combined the best elements of the one-man-band storytelling tradition with an aggressive, hyper-rhythmic acoustic guitar attack that absolutely demanded attention.