Baby Ghosts
Let’s Always Hang Out Together, Okay?
Self-Released
Street: 03.19
Baby Ghosts = Yeah Yeah Yeahs + The Germs + Be Your Own Pet
Baby Ghosts are one of those surprise bands who were kind of overlooked when they arrived in 2010, but slowly grew on audiences as they got around and played all-ages gigs in Provo and Salt Lake City. The aggressive pop-punk rockers are one of those groups that, quite frankly, we may not deserve yet in the music scene. They’re happy and full of energy, they enjoy playing gigs and making a crowd freak out, they actually love playing their music, and they don’t view it as a chore! If the universe of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World existed in real life, Baby Ghosts would fit in comfortably among the colorful rockers and 8-bit insanity, which is what made their debut album such a treat this year, with the anime cover showing this is no ordinary band. The album seems to have two personalities. The first being the sing-along pop side with tracks like “German Ghost Cat” and “The Ghost of Your Personality,” that feature harmonizing and occasional dueling vocals, teamed up with guitars and drums that sound like they dragged the garage walls to the studio to get that rough echo into every song. The second side is the anxious punk personality, pounding on the door in tracks like “Ghost Next Door” and “The Ghosts of My Crappy-Ass Friends,” where the band hits you with a wall of sound, instantly making you want to bounce off the walls, and, hopefully, making the younger crowds want to start their own band. This album was wrongfully overshadowed by a ton of great releases on the local scene, and surely deserves a second look from anyone who loves the occasional pop-punk album.