Acid Baby Jesus: Acid Baby Jesus Review
Seeing Acid Baby Jesus a while back, it was clear that the band had heard, and loved, the scuzzy garage rock band The Black Lips. From their shaggy, “we don’t give a shit” attitude to the paisley tinged fuzz garage tunes, the band endeared themselves to those of us in the crowd whose inclination is to really dig this type of music. Listening to their latest full length, self titled LP, the Greek band proved more than a one trick pony and shows even more potential than their solid live show indicated.
The band venture into various corners of the garage rock arena, with most working well. From the squealing feedback of “Android Robot” to the T-Rex groove of “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” they are their strongest when they ramp up the energy. When they do slow down the pace, on tracks like “Tooth to Toe” and “Why Aren’t You Laughing Now,” the band seem to lose the momentum they gained on other parts of the record. The four piece sound like local garage punks Blind Shake on “Tomboy,” a standout of the record, and do dip into Black Lips territory on the scuzzy ballad “Mesmerized” and the slow burn groove of “Old Fart.”
Despite not blazing too many new trails on the record, Acid Baby Jesus is a solid collection of tunes. The challenge for a band like ABJ is that they are venturing into territory that can easily melt into pastiche. Their live show was good, but not great, which had me a little worried as I dropped the needle on their debut record. While the record isn’t going to end up in my top 10 of the year, it is a spirited effort that captures a sound that I personally like and is a record well worth checking out.
Writer / co-founder
