From the unambiguous middle finger attitude of opener ‘Fuck Off and Die” to the quirky punk of ‘Zoe is a Weirdo’ this is that rarest of beasts; a rock album chock full of as much singles material as a top drawer Stockholm night spot! ‘Degenerated’ possesses a beat more insistent than an over zealous Jehovah’s Witness and a hook so lush it tips a hat in the direction of Night Ranger. ‘Drool’ is a sleazy delight with some fabulous imagery; “I sprayed a picture of Spider Man next to Hitler and Uncle Sam”, fabulously random but completely irresistible.
The acoustic musings of ‘Abandon’ have a thoroughly modern pop feel and lead into a chorus which is super smooth; huge but with all the edge you want and expect from the band. For sheer joie de vivre and surely destined to blow the roof off whenever they play live, there’s ‘Voodoo Love Bow’ with it’s instantly sing-able bar room piano boogie chorus. Apparently a “Voodoo Love Bow” is a bow that men use, in the practice of voodoo ritual, to shoot an arrow into the buttocks of their intended!! Love, it would seem does indeed hurt! ‘Back on the Juice’ is an ode to those who let you down by letting the demon drink get the better of them yet possesses a chorus as addictive as the brew itself. The collection is rounded off by the ballad ‘Saved by the Bell’ which with its simple arrangement for vocal and guitar is a celebration of life and survival.
Backyard Babies have released an absolute cracker of a rock and roll album and with their established prowess in the live arena it could launch them into their well deserved “day in the sun”. The CD went straight into the Swedish album charts at number one and on the back of an extensive touring schedule, with a little luck (and possibly some media support?...) there’s no reason why this shouldn’t break more markets wide open for them. This is pure rock ‘n’ roll with one foot in tradition and the other planted firmly in the here and now, consequently ‘Backyard Babies’ should appeal to eighties survivors and music hungry teens alike.