Releasedate: 18-08-2008; Label: Billion Dollar Babies / Spinefarm
By: Sabine van Gameren
Call it sleaze, call it glam, call it punk or hard rock. Backyard Babies fits it all. Formed in 1987, their first full length release “Diesel & Power” dated back from 1994. The band saw many countries during all the touring they did with names like Alice Cooper, ACDC, Motörhead and many more.
Anno 2008 their album “Backyard Babies” is about to release.
The album comes with some interesting artwork. The band is relaxing somewhere high in the sky with many skyscrapers in the background. A helicopter is crashing and five people are falling out of it. Only one of them actually pays attention to it by watching it. The other Babies watch the view in front of them instead of what is happening behind them. This artwork mostly symbolizes the album. The band gives on “Backyard Babies” an extensive side of their music. They mostly radiate that they want to look forward and don’t want to get stuck in the past.
Thirteen songs building up a certain tension towards the end. Starting “Fuck Off And Die” the band chose a not too spectacular opener, which speaks a lot for the band. How many times have you listened an album and after three songs, the power is out of it?
Speaking for myself I have to answer: Way too many times! The order of the songs, make it interesting even after a few songs.
What I like a lot about this album is the way the band gave space for the instrumental parts. They are very well thought placed into their songs. Only thing that let me down a little bit was the production. It is smooth… a bit too smooth for my taste. You really miss the raw sound at some points.
“Zoe Is A Weirdo” is song that is not only the shortest on the album, also it’s a big party song and I can imagine that this song is a must for their set list in their upcoming tour. It’s a song which brings a great atmosphere. The album closes with “Saved By The Bell” which is a more down tempo song. It shows a side of the band which you didn’t hear before and therefore it is a nice closing. It practically says: “this is the end of the album” and leaves you with a satisfied feeling.
Line up:
Nicke Borg – lead vocals/ guitar
Dregen – lead guitar/ vocals
Johan Blomquist – bass
Peder Carlsson – drums
| 1. Fuck Off And Die 2. Degenerated 3. Come Undone 4. Drool 5. Abandon 6. Voodoo Love Bow 7. Idiots 8. The Ship 9. Nomadic 10. Back On The Juice 11. Where Were You 12. Zoe Is A Weirdo 13. Saved By The Bell |
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