THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Baabes are a sleazy garage-punk rock ’n’ roll band by every stretch of the imagination. Hailing from Boston, this four man crew play high-energy, stripped-down punk with distorted guitars, hard drums and howling vocals.
They formed at the tail end of 2017 and have been going hard since. They first made a name for themselves off of their turbulent live shows and then even more after the self-released 2019, lo-fi, four-track-recorded album Ratchet Ass Dance Party … A gem for the real garage heads. Since then they’ve put out a bunch of singles.
BAABES WERE BORN IN THE BASEMENT
BAABES DISTORT EVERYTHING
BAABES REPRESENT BOSTON, THE WORLD AND THE WILD KIDS
BAABES ARE SLEAZY GARAGE PUNK ROCK N ROLL
BAABES DO WHAT BAABES WANT
BAABES SCREAM, SMASH AND BE LOUD
BAABES ONCE KNOCKED OVER A LIQUOR STORE
BAABES LIKE THE GIRLS THAT LIKE BAABES
BAABES ARE SUICIDE IN LOVE AFFAIRS
BAABES SOUND LIKE BANSHEES ON MURDER BIKES
BAABES SAY LISTEN TO US
BAABES SAY F U IF YOU NO LIKE
Track-by-track liner notes:
Soopastar
Baabes start off their self-titled banger with Soopastar and they immediately tell you what they want…”A drink, a spaceship and a big f**ing stereo”. What they already have is a guitar and a Big Muff stomp box leading the way, then once the bass changes direction into the groove you’re along for the ride. “Do you wanna go? Tell me now, I gotta know”. The choice is up to you, but you’re already holding on for dear life in the passenger seat.
Bad Boy Worse Drugs
In typical Baabes fashion, this one was made for a good time. For drinks. For friends. For love and regret. For being free, and of course, a little debauchery. Recorded live to match their crazy energetic shows, Baabes say you better learn some better moves to hang with this one!
Greaseballs to Glitters
The hard drums and loud, distorted guitars keep a cool-as-hell groove moving while the howling and provoking vocals let you know just how much you’re all going to be needing what these punks got to give you.
Alone
Four songs in and Baabes are trying to get us to leave their ratchet-ass dance party for a more intimate setting. The crooked guitar lick in Alone spirals through a scene that, frankly, they’re too cool for. By the time the chorus takes off, it’s a catchy sing along and you’re already sold. We’re leaving with them.
Shark City
Shark City starts off with a surf punk riff that crashes like a tidal wave to the head. The drums barrel along leading us to a seedy underworld with characters who challenge us to fly as high as we want. Fiercely showing us their teeth, Baabes give us a break down that explodes into a final chorus that has become more urgent at every go around. They run the game around there, and they invite you to run with them.
Before You’re Dead
You’re welcomed in with a guitar and drum attack that drops into the driving anthem Before You’re Dead. The vocals are somehow steady but manic and mixed into a cauldron for a purpose. That purpose being to tell you that we’re all going to die and to spend your time accordingly. Whether or not that brings you to such twisted places where you “spend one night with a witch in the dark woods” simply depends on if you’re ready to hang with Baabes.
Alien Love
Alien Love is Baabes’ ode to different times. Musically bringing us back, while lyrically pushing us out past our atmosphere. We’re brought to a space aged prom where our date is the freakiest babe in the galaxy. Jetsons-like spaceship sounds played throughout the jam, tell us that this reverb-soaked number is Baabes at their most light-hearted.
Hail the Junk King
Who the hell is the Junk King? It takes under two minutes for Baabes to explain. Even though they tell us that “we don’t know because we don’t need to know”, the gang vocals in the chorus give us the answer. We are informally invited to the coronation of Baabes as garage-punk royalty.
Too Cool for Pants
Legend has it that the Baabes boys were drinking in the morning…and this is what happened. Too Cool for Pants is an infectious groove that explodes into a banging chorus with lyrics you’d have to be a little off-centre to come up with. And of course, a lot of attitude…just the way Baabes like it!
Kiss Off
Bringing their most serious tone yet, Baabes close their album with Kiss Off. Starting off with a guitar riff that is met with combined force by the bass and drums, the song sinks into a grunge era symphony. The lyrics are a determined statement…”There’s a reason that you got out of bed this morning and it wasn’t just to blend in and be forgotten.” Baabes’ final words speak heavy to the listener.”
