Baby Shakes unveil The First One this week on Douche Master Records
Wednesday, October 8th, 2008
Months after moving back to New York, former ATL part-timers Baby Shakes have unveiled their first full-length CD/LP, aptly titled The First One, on Douche Master Records.
The 10-songs on the album show the women in black drawing from a palette of lovie dovie bubble gum anthems, infused with power pop and glam rock tendencies.
“Hello Hello,” “Now I know” and “Ooh La Love” are fast and undeniably catchy, but they don’t throw any surprise punches. The record delivers the lite pop sound one expects from Baby Shakes; which is captured on this recording with fascist-like precision and clarity that comes courtesy of drummer/producer Dave Rahn (Carbonas, Gentleman Jesse).
Other songs on the record show off stabs at songwriting that expands their boundaries while staying true to form. “Love Machine” is a stylistic and ramped-up homage to T. Rex circa The Slider. Closing number “Just Another” winds through a three-chord chug that rocks pretty hard, but maintains the group’s amicable and high-energy pop sensibilities.
Execution of everything from three-part chants and harmonic coos, to simple, mechanical shifts in rhythm are flawless from beginning to end. And with every song clocking in at less than three minutes, the album is over before you know it, which leaves you instinctively wanting a whole lot more.
The First One is a clean and simple album, and though it will inevitably draw comparisons to the Runaways, Nikki and the Corvettes, the Ramones and the first couple of Blondie records, Baby Shakes sound is nowhere nearly as raw as these forerunners, nor is it as dangerous or potentially offensive. Kids and grandparents can dance to these songs just as easily as hipsters with Thunder Cats haircuts, and that’s not a bad thing at all.
