Baby Chaos are a band very well known around their native Glasgow and, indeed, they went down a storm opening for Gun at Kelvin Park last summer (one of my gigs of the year)… but I missed them due to attending a work function. In the pub. So the least I could do was make it up to them this year with a review of their new album, Ape Confronts Cosmos.
The music they create fits firmly into the “rock n’ roll” category. Bouncy, light, catchy and perfect for a couple of beers and a bop around. Ideal given the way the weather’s turned recently, just a shame we can’t congregate in a park to enjoy it! On the other hand it’s perfect to pop on the stereo and relax to, perhaps playing games with 5 Free Spins that you get on gamblizard!
Most of the songs are just great little rockers, but there’s a noticeable influence from some of the great artists of yesteryear. “I Belong In Battle”, for instance, owes a lot to The Beatles’ more laid back moments, an acoustic number that evokes thoughts of “Blackbird”. It sticks out a little from the rockier numbers on the album, but isn’t out of place. A nice quiet moment before “Mouse.Lion.Mouse” had the head nodding again.
Listen carefully to “Orphans on the Moon” and you might find a couple of psychedelic nuances in the background which again hint back to the greats of the sixties. It’s these little references that help you realise that rock and roll has been around for a long time and, much to the annoyance of the miserable buggers back then who hated it, it’s well and truly here to stay.
There are some real gems on here, too: “Everything I Counted on Has Been Proved Wrong” mixes funk with fuzz to produce something that should have crowd flailing their arms and singing along. “The White Witch” is another of the more relaxed numbers and it’s absolutely beautiful. “The Wild Beast” has a wonderfully driving rhythm.
Ape Confronts Cosmos is a great summer album. Looking out of the window, we have a great summer looming – so crank it on the stereo while you relax in your gardens or on your balconies!
Ape Confronts Cosmos is out now.
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