Hailing from Carollton, Ga., the band Baby Baby will usher in the supposed Rapture on May 21 with a bang during the release show for their new album “Money,” which is officially out May 24.
Baby Baby’s, self deemed “fun rock,” provides a fresh look at the genre of indie and pop rock with an energy and ferocity that is severely lacking in many other bands.
The album is hot right from the get-go. It starts with a pounding repetition of chords on electric guitar soon followed by the wild vocals of Fontez Swaggasaurus Rex Brooks, whose unique singing sounds much like his elaborate stage name — often growling and guttural or sometimes shouting and wailing as he flies from pitch to pitch.
The opening song is titled “Instead Of Spending My $20 On The Blink 182 Reunion Show I Took You Out On A Date And You Never Returned My Phone Call So Don’t Ever Expect To Eat Free Shrimp Scampi Again Bitch!” and reveals the band’s tendency to err on the side of audacity, while giving the listener a taste of what to expect from the rest of the album.
The lyrics in this song and many others, often about problems with women or enjoying music and life in general, reveal an honest persona of four crazy dudes in a rock band who just want to dance and have fun.
This playful spirit is apparent in each song. The album never misses a beat with continuous drive and energy throughout. Most of the songs are relatively simple with catchy riffs and melodies, but what Baby Baby lacks in complexity, they make up for with sheer ferocity.
The stand-out tracks are clearly “Fire” and “Kidz” (don’t worry, all the other track titles have less than ten words as well). “Fire’s” lighthearted opening guitar serves as a squirmy backbone to fun vocals that are easy to sing along with and solid, danceable harmonies and rhythm. “Kidz” keeps the fun rolling with a funky bass line and amusing singing backed by rich electric guitar and solid drumming.
All the other songs keep this edge and upbeat (if a little crazy at times) attitude. Other songs to check out include, “Wah U H Uh Oh” and “We Do This All Night Long (Shake That Ass Girl).” The final track, “Nothing to Lose,” sums up the album’s sound by following the band members carrying out a bank robbery. Of course, the band goes out “guns blazing” when the cops show up.
Not that all the tracks are similar, but if you like one of the songs, there’s a good chance you’ll like every other song. They all have a degree of variance, but also the same passion and vigor throughout, making for 58 solid minutes of enjoyable music.
As the school year approaches its welcome end, “Money” provides an enjoyable and explosive way to start the summer.
Tune in to KSLC 90.3 FM to hear tracks from Baby Baby’s new album or listen online (on campus only) at www.linfield.edu/kslcfm/listen-online.
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Braden Smith/KSLC 90.3 FM
Braden Smith can be reached at [email protected].
