In Afternoon Air

My Record Collection: The Babies - Cry Along With The Babies

Artist: The Babies
Album: Cry Along With The Babies
Date Acquired: Jan. 22, 2011
How Acquired: Real Estate/The Babies show at Black Cat

I’ve had a place in my heart for The Babies for almost two and a half years now, ever since I saw them perform in Brooklyn in August 2009. Little did I know that this band, featuring members of Vivian Girls and Woods, would end up being one of my favorites. The debut self-titled full length charted very high on my top 25 albums of 2011, and some of the new songs floating around like “Places” and “Baby” are awesome.

Cry Along With The Babies, released on New Images, shows The Babies in a more intimate light. Composed of acoustic demos featuring Kevin Morby and Cassie Ramone, you feel like you’re watching a private bedroom show that you’re not sure if you should be seeing. The songs range from unreleased (“Big Mercedes,” “On My Team,” “That Boy”), finished (“Here Comes Trouble,” “My Tears”) and altered (“Hey Mama” - a different version of “Sick Kid”). All the while, the songs retain the uniqueness that Morby and Ramone bring to the table.

The high point for me is the last two songs of the EP: “Hey Mama” and “That Boy.” It might be the familiarity of the “Sick Kid” riff, but the outro to “Hey Mama” just jumps with the acoustic shredding from both guitarists. “That Boy,” with Morby on vocals, seems extremely personal and Dylan-esque. It’s almost like getting a look into his soul. Plus, the solo and outro sections really thrash.

While it’s short and sweet, Cry Along With The Babies provides a look at the in-progress nature of many of their songs, while dropping in a gem with “That Boy.”