It's been well documented that the punk revolution in the late seventies was a glamrock backlash.
It's a moot point, but more than any other band in
Europe, the 'Babies successfully smashed those two genres together with their debut album
'Diesel & Power' in 1996. Ok, you could equally argue that the
Hanoi Rocks had already gone down that route, but maybe the 'Babies explored the darker side of the street.
It didn't guarantee them riches and fame, but it unequivocally assured their longevity.
To celebrate twenty years in the biz (no, neither did I) and still counting, the 'Babies have released their first comprehensive compilation (In
Europe anyway.
'Tinnitus' (2005) was essentially for the band's intro to the US market).
Interestingly, since 1989 there have been no lineup changes. Nick Borg on vocals; the man with only one name, Dregen on guitar; Jjohan Blomvquist on bass and Peder Carlsson on drums.
Thinking of how to describe the 'Babies' sound is like one of those multiple choice questions.sizzling, wailing, spiky, punky, irreverent, dark, explicit, sleazerock?
Yeah, all of that, and more. Impossible to nail down.
And the problem for The 'Babies has always been this : When they sand down the rough edges and pursue attention from a wider audience, they alienate hardcore fans. When they don't, their sizeable fanbase just adores them, but nobody else does. So, what does a band do?
Well, with the
Backyard Babies you always get the impression that they just do what they want to do...and people follow.
'Best Of's are always subjective of course, but it's hard to argue with the selections taken from the 'Babies' 6 album back catalogue.
'Electric Suzy', the single taken from the band's debut, '
Diesel And Power' (1994) is here. A fascinating, mesmerising blues / punk carcrash.
Their second album was1998's '
Total 13'. A collection of 3 minute incendiary devices. A sensory overload of punk, glam and rock, full of jagged rock nuggets swathed in major colours, it was the release that got the band noticed.
The fabulously chaotic, tunefully aggressive
'Highlights' (what an axe solo!) and
'Look At You' are both here, deservedly. Few bands could cram more energy, aggression and melody into a shorter timeframe.
It's two much more immediate, eminently accessible tracks that, understandably open the collection.
'Brand New Hate', co-written with Ginger (Wildhearts) spins on a spring loaded riff, wound up and stretched around a cool, punchy hook. But it's the awesome
'Minus Celsius', strategically armed with a compact chorus, a naggingly familiar hook and an armour plated truckload of ringing guitars that makes most impact here. It's one of three singles taken from the Grammy winning
'Stockholm Syndrome' album, released in 2002. The second single,
'Friends' is also included here. Rawer, bluesier and yes, funnier. A beery singalong, and a tribute to the Japanese rock fan.
Elsewhere, the bands newest release, 2008's
'Backyard Babies' contributes two tracks. A self titled release at this stage in a band's career normally indicates some form of re-appraisal - of style, of content, of attitude, and so forth.
If a burst of cataclysmic din and a renewed zest for confrontational lyrics could be considered a re-assessment, then the track,
'Degenerated' hits the mark with laser guided accuracy.
It's in sharp contrast to the other selection from that album.
'Abandon' shows Bowie to be a major influence on the band, before launching into as user friendly a chorus as you're ever likely to hear from The 'Babies.
'Them XX' has only 12 tracks but it seems so many more. It's simply chock a block with buzzing guitars, hard edged rhythms and dark, addictive melodies.
And yes, it comes in lavish digipack with a 34 page booklet containing previously unseen photos of the band.
Roll on another 20.
Written by
Brian Friday, February 26, 2010
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