'Rewild' a High-Scoring Debut

Amazing Baby

Rewild

June 23, 2009

Shangri-La Music

Although the dramatic feel of '80s guitar is returning in full force and is becoming quite common among indie acts today, Amazing Baby's debut Rewild easily adds a new flavor and vivacity. Pains of Being Pure at Heart captured the emotion, but Amazing Baby manages to push beyond and add variety and thrill to the sound in an impressive debut.

The Brooklyn, N.Y.-based band recently rolled out the record without too much hype, except for the references to friend Ben Goldwasser of MGMT. It's fair to draw comparisons between the two bands – neo-psychedelic acts are beginning to sound alike– and they both carry on with experimental rock while producing mainstream appeal. Amazing Baby, however, draws their style from a different place. Think of the soundtrack for an '80s teenager flick plus hints of Pink Floyd.

Some highlights:

What seemed like the beginning of great elevator musak blended into a Vampire Weekend-ish tune in “Roverfrenz.” I wouldn't say it's exactly reggae or Afro-infuenced, but the drums come through in that easy, effortless style above muted, winding keyboard notes. You know that once the chorus hits, with ethereal echoed vocals and a something that sounds like faded reggae drumming, it's going to be memorable. It cruises along around that upbeat level for sometime until the 4-minute mark hits, then escalates into a quick peak of electric guitar, in volume and strength.

If you don't listen to anything else on the album, take a dive into the first track, “Bayonets.” It's energetic, though not exactly danceable. That said, this would easily make it onto the end of a party playlist; “Bayonets”  but this is the type of song that fits in after a good amount of beers, just before you're about to collapse of exhaustion, but you've got the will for one last anthem. Backing strings really amplify the effect of each chorus and fit in surprisingly well with the tambourine-driven percussion. The guitar and drum pair buildups leading into sections of the song also keep the energy high and the sound familiar.

The record keeps it going two tracks away with “Kankra,” which is similar in pep and style. It's got a dreamy arranagement of choral vocals. I'm not saying the lead singer emulates that of Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, because he's certainly more serious, less flambuoyant but they sound similar. 

Rewild is streaming at the band's MySpace in full here.

and free download of "Bayonets" at their Web site: theamazingbaby.com