The Babys - Broken Heart (1978) - €10,00

Broken Heart is The Babys second album. The album produced The Babys first big hit "Isn't It Time", which reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977.

On Broken Heart, the Babys make good on the sense of potential that was only hinted at on their debut release. The band found a sympathetic producer this time out in Ron Nevison, who applied the same basic production strategy he used on Lights Out for UFO: He gives the band a sharp, precise recording that fully brings out their power while balancing out the heavier elements of their sound with sophisticated orchestrations that broaden their sound into a cinematic realm. 

The Babys live up to this ambitious style of production by stepping up to the plate with a collection of songs that are tight, catchy, and full of rock & roll conviction.
Highlights include "Give Me Your Love," a steamy mid-tempo rocker that shows off Michael Corby's skill at the keyboards, and the title track, which balances its hard-hitting attack with catchy pop hooks to create an effective, guitar-driven slab of power pop. Broken Heart also gave the Babys their first taste of singles chart success with one its few outside contributions: "Isn't It Time" is an effective power ballad that alternates lush, orchestrated verses with a fiery chorus driven by female backup vocals and a punchy horn arrangement.
The end result is an album that is a quantum leap forward from The Babys in every way. Broken Heart is undoubtedly one of the crown jewels in the Babys' catalog and a worthwhile listen for any fan of big-production AOR rock.


Side A
A1. Wrong Or Right  (3:26)
A2. Give Me Your Love  (3:37)
A3. Isn’t It Time  (4:03)
A4. And If You Could See Me Fly  (2:50)
A5. The Golden Mile  (5:01)

Side B
B1. Broken Heart  (3:02)
B2. I’m Falling  (3:55)
B3. Rescue Me  (3:50)
B4. Silver Dreams  (3:00)
B5. A Piece Of The Action  (4:35)

Notes

Release:  1977

Format: LP

Genre:  AOR Rock

Format:  LP

Label:  Chrysalis Records

Catalog#  511150

Vinyl:  VG

Cover:  VG

Prijs: €10,00

The Babys - Union Jacks (1980) - Lp

By 1980, the Babys had transformed from a journeyman British rock outfit to an Anglo-American band. These lineup changes were reflected in the sound of their 1980 release, Union Jacks, which represented another stylistic turnabout for the chameleon-like Babys. On this album, the group teamed up with Keith Olsen, the producer behind hit albums for Fleetwood Mac and Pat Benatar, to create a new sound that downplayed the cinematic orchestrations of their past for a punchy, radio-ready sound flavored with new wave-styled synthesizer accents.
The resulting album is the top favorite of the Babys catalog for many of the group's fans but isn't quite as a strong a release as its cult reputation might suggest. The carefully arranged "Back on My Feet Again" and the minor hit "Midnight Rendezvous" effectively mix rock riffs with a new wave style, but the new sound doesn't work quite as well on other songs.
The most notable example of this problem is "Jesus, Are You There?," where the kitschy, shrill tone of the synthesizers provides an awkward musical contrast for the deadly serious lyrics. Other songs feel like they were rushed out a bit too quickly: The title track, sort of a new wave rock opera, is too disjointed to pack a punch, and "Turn Around in Tokyo" comes off as nondescript filler. In the end, Union Jacks is too inconsistent to win the Babys any new fans but is likely to please those who enjoy slick '80s AOR records.

Side A
A1.  Back On My Feet Again   (3:18)  
A2.  True Love True Confession   (4:07)  
A3.  Midnight Rendezvous   (3:36)  
A4.  Union Jack   (5:42) 

Side B
B1.  In Your Eyes   (4:05)  
B2.  Anytime   (3:21)  
B3.  Jesus, Are You There?   (3:34)  
B4.  Turn Around In Tokyo   (3:53)  
B5.  Love Is Just A Mystery  (3:32)

Release: January 1980
Label:  Chrysalis Records
Genre:  Rock
Format:  LP
Catalog#   511267

order / bestellen € 10,00

The Babys - Head First (1979)

Artist:  The Babys
Title:  Head First
Release:  1979
Format:  LP
Label:  Chrysalis Records
Catalog#  511195

“Head First” is the title of the third album by The Babys.
1978 was a difficult year of transition for The Babys: The group parted ways with founding member Michael Corby during sessions for their new album, and the remaining members finished the album only to have their record company reject it in its initial form. The Babys regrouped, recorded a few new tracks to finish the album, and then headed out on tour with newly recruited members Jonathan Cain and Ricky Philips. “Head First”, the album that resulted from this tumultuous time, is energetic but a bit schizophrenic in terms of style: Lushly orchestrated songs like "White Lightning" continue on in the orchestrated AOR style of “Broken Heart” while songs like "Love Don't Prove I'm Right" return to the stripped-down rock sound that characterized The Babys. As a result, “Head First” feels more like a collection of songs than a true album. The album's sense of inconsistency is further deepened by the presence of some underwritten songs: "California" has an atmospheric sound but drifts on without a solid sense of structure, and "White Lightning" undercuts its powerful sense of dynamics with some rather silly lyrics. Just the same, the album has enough good songs to counterbalance these weaknesses: The title track balances surging bass-driven verses with a piano-laced chorus to create one of The Babys' finest rockers, and "Every Time I Think of You" is a beautifully crafted, heartfelt power ballad that gave the group its second big hit.


Side one
1.   Love Don’t Prove I’m Right   (2:47)
2.   Every Time I Think of You   (4:00)
3.   I Was One   (3:30)
4.   White Lightening   (3:20)
5.   Run To Mexico   (4:35)

Side two
1.   Head First   (3:57)
2.   You Got It   (4:39)
3.   Please Don’t Leave Me   (5:08)
4.   California   (4:00)

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