On the same day their fantastic new record “Our House on the Hill” was formally released, The Babies kicked off a long tour in Brooklyn Tuesday night at the Knitting Factory.
While life for many in the city and region remains difficult because of problems with still unresolved infrastructure damage, the near-full restoration of public transit has brought some normalcy to many neighborhoods away from the water.
The crowd that turned up to see The Babies for this show didn’t fill the place but it was a good turnout. There was some breathing room, which is nice. You could move around. There was definitely a real good party atmosphere in the room. The new record was a long time coming and it’s a major achievement. It’s great top to bottom. My favorite record of the year for sure. Many of the songs are old hat to the fans who’ve seen the band’s pretty regular shows here but there were some real nice surprises. “Wandering” is the final cut and it’s an impressive shift in vocal style by front-man Kevin Morby. The softer projection and authentic crackle in his vocal chords as he contemplates his current place while on the wander versus where he was is a dimension that underscores his versatility. It’s a gorgeous song. Dylan-esque.
A large amount of credit for how well House turned out should probably go to Rob Barbato too. He oversaw creation of the recordings. It sounds to me like he found clear-cut sweet spots contained in the material’s live renditions and made sure they were loud and clear without over-doing it. For example, Cassie Ramone’s guitar line on “Mess Me Around” jumps out of the speakers while you’re listening at home with the same punch you get at the gig.
Perhaps the most pleasant surprise is how Barbato and the band transformed the “More Stage” demo from the “Cry Along with The Babies” EP into the new gem “On My Team.” What an incredible song! Catchy as they come. And if they ever play it live, it’ll bring the house down. Unfortunately, The Babies didn’t do it Tuesday night. After the show, Morby said On My Team is not yet ready for prime time but is on the practice docket for a show rollout down the road.
The Knitting Factory doesn’t possess many of the embraceable quirks found at a handful of the more modest venues down by the river but it’s a fine place to see a show. Five dollar bottles of Bud are available only at the main bar outside the performance space. They’re poured into a plastic cup if you take them into the show.
Friend of The Babies Alex Bleeker and his great band The Freaks warmed things up. Bleeker’s heavy involvement in the local scene and loyal fan base added to the excitement of the night. His sweet-sounding voice and affable stage presence meshed perfectly with the celebratory feel of the gathering.
Bleeker ended his band’s wonderful set with a cover of Sweet Virginia by the Stones. Morby came on stage for shaker duties. Bleeker also called on a sax player he said he had only met that day. What unfolded was a warmly received Brooklyn music memory that was special because of its real feel of spontaneity. Bleeker said he hadn’t revealed to Morby what song he’d play ahead of time and it was clear Morby struggled a bit to recall the opening verse. He laughed. So did Bleeker.
Both Jarvis Taveniere and Jeremy Earl were in the crowd to support their Woods bandmate. It’s Earl’s Woodsist record label that put out Our House on the Hill. When electricity was finally restored to Woodsist headquarters in Warwick last week, Earl started shipping orders for the LP, cassette and CD.
Pitchfork’s review of House has yet to be released. That influential music web site’s unfair review of The Babies’ debut full-length still sticks in the craw. The addition of writer Jenn Pelly to the Pitchfork staff since then makes a more even-handed take on the new record a pretty good bet.
This Babies tour is ambitious in its reach. The band has gigs in 37 cities across the US and Canada over a stretch of 40 days. A show booked at the Riot Room in Kansas City a week from Friday conveniently puts Morby and the band near his family for Thanksgiving day, one of only three off days on the tour.