You have every reason to hate these Brooklyn-based hipsters. They’ve got the tousled style of a thousand indie bands before them. Their music meshes dance-floor euphoria with garage-rock psychedelia. Plus, they’re Brooklyn-based hipsters. But on their debut album, Rewild, the quintet manages to pull a few hooks out of the detached sounds buzzing around it. Like many of their contemporaries, Amazing Baby pack more method than meaning into their songs, grooving along complacently until something breaks up their stupor. But some cuts — like the sunny “Headdress” and the stomping “Pump Yr Breaks” — come close to living up to all the hype the band has generated over the past eight months. Three years from now, you’ll probably listen to Rewild as much as you listen to Cold War Kids these days. But for a little part of 2009, they mattered. So catch them while you can at the Beachland Tavern (15711 Waterloo Rd., 216.383.1124) at 9 p.m. with the Entrance Band and Safari opening. Tickets: $10. — Michael Gallucci
This article appears in Sep 23-29, 2009.
This is review is completely unfair. Amazing Baby is incredibly original, yes they do have the dance rock psychedelic tones that many other (perfectly good) bands have these days, but they mix it with metal guitar licks and original melodies that are unmatched by any “Brooklyn-based hipster band”.
They are also incredible live, and as they are all outrageously talented musicians seeing them perform is truly an experience.
Amazing Baby is one of the greatest bands to come out of this era and are no where near the end of their glory days.
Expect more and more from them so CATCH EM WHILE THE TICKETS ARE CHEAP!