Here goes - let the slagging commence!

I first started listening to Babybird in the mid 90’s – I picked up a copy of Bad Shave on CD in mid 1995. Didn’t know much about it really but used to buy stuff on a whim back then. I liked it. It coincided with me listening to a Mark and Lard a lot then when they had that graveyard slot on Radio 2 (I think). Babybird were regular session artists and he seemed like a lot of fun, had an acerbic wit and he made good music.

Skip forward a year and a further three albums, plus the one before and I had accumulated the original Lo Fi series of releases. These albums recorded from apparently hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of songs he’d written. Prolific being the optimum word. More about that later. This was all stuff he recorded at home and self-released. He then got picked up by Echo and released this – this first of his studio albums. He used to put post cards in the lo fi CDs asking for suggestions as to what tracks should get the full band, full studio treatment and this crop of songs were selected – they all have iterations on the lo fi recordings.

I thought it was tremendous – an artist I fell in love with and have remained that way ever since – of his commercial releases there is not one album I dislike. I have seen him countless times and not seen a duff gig – from his raucous crowd baiting early days to his more controlled self-deprecating act he puts on now. A great songsmith, multi-instrumentalist and creator of soundscapes digging into lots of genres. His commercial output is impressive enough – six albums – then his lo fi recording but it is bandcamp that his releases are staggering. I can’t keep up. Various alias and ridiculous amounts of releases – most on digital but a fair few CD release and a vinyl release a few years back. First in 20 odd years. He has also released hip hop albums and solo albums.

Back to the album – 15 tracks off aceness – well 14 as you can all skip You’re Gorgeous as it is intensely annoyingly twee now – anyway.

Kicks off with Goodnight – the first, and best, single – classic indie guitar pop nonsense. Love his vocal, the shimmering guitars, driving bass and all the ingredients for a great pop song.

Candy Girl – another single and his fascination with language comes out. A clear metaphor. Also, a lyric trick he uses to good effect with his comparisons, one he uses a lot across his oeuvre.

Jesus is my Girlfriend – he uses religion, or his twisting of it, a lot as a motif. I don’t think he is much of a fan of organised religion. I like the drum track on this – has elements of hip hop for me.

I didn’t want to wake you up – big soaring vocals he became synonymous for – also the sha la la la las – if in doubt of a lyric drop a sha la la la in.

Dead Bird Sings – possibly one of my favourite songs of all time. A ballad, a love song – whatever it is it is beautifully crafted and minimal. His vocal really shines here.

Atomic soda – any order this album could or should have is jettisoned – this track with its vocal distortion and piano riff setting it up before it heaves into the drums and full band sound. Clocking it at five minutes – not sure Echo were expecting this sort of thing. Anyway – after the previous love song this is a diversion.

You’re Gorgeous – more first wedding dances than any other song in history or something – however about the abuse of models – overplayed and shmaltzy – he still plays it live much to my chagrin. Please skip if desired.

Bad Shave 2 – closest track on the album to it’s OG on the lo fi.

Cornershop – great uplifting track, classic indie guitar construction – firm live favourite. Great round of ba ba ba bas to boot.

King Bing – 10 minutes of what? I’m not sure? Mad vocals, psych? Krautrocky? Blusey? Jazz? Rant? Nonsense? I love the little tricks – the emphasis on the K for King Bing and how it meanders along, disappears into some spoken word spiel against the record industry (which would mark him out as an artist later on) and gets a bit sweary – love it. Again – Echo – take note here.

You and Me – another slow song, closely aligned to the lo fi stuff but utilising the production he had available to him. Gets a bit trip hoppy as well.

45 and fat – love this for the lyrics alone. I’m sure we can relate. The vocal echo of himself also draws me in, how he overlays himself also. The falsetto works for me as well – it was a bit to prevalent in early stuff. I like how it ends as well. Bosh. Done.

Too Handsome To Be Homeless – moody builder that ends in a soaring vocal. Love the premise of the lyric as well.

July – lots of versions of this – not sure this is the best. It’s OK but a weak point, to an extent, of the album.

Babybird – Oh my days – what a way to close an album. Five minutes of aceness. The vocal is sublime for me. Gently and lilting before that drum crashes in and his muscular vocal over the snare and hi hat (is it? Trav will know). Anyway – many a drunken Saturday night with my wife cavorting around the kitchen dancing to this.

So – after the success of YG Echo wanted more and got him to record again pretty quickly and basically sacked his band from the studio to bring in some session musos much to his chagrin. (back to together the result of this single wise) He recorded a further album with Echo before they dropped him and he went to a smaller indie label to release successive stuff. Finding his style. the electiveness of this album was never really replicated further down as he got into his stride and style.

Babybird never hit the heights his talent deserved in my opinion, and his - he is still vocal about that to this day.

He has also written film scores and two novels. Always left field and not run of the mill. He has always been awkward and having met him a few times he’s also a bit of a Rodney Plonker – never meet your idols eh.

Still, love his music and glad he still tours.

Thanks for listening and please give this the attention it deserves. Not met many people who get him.

Youtube link here:

I'm not on spotify so if anyone wants to post that link.

Further listening here:

https://xbabybird.bandcamp.com/music

Just some of his ridiculous output on bandcamp - he has other iterations on there as well.

This is the track I wanted to get the full band treatment for Ugly Beautiful from one of his lo fi albums if anyone is interested.