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Andy Chriss Entertainment Staff |
Guide to Star Ratings |
Are you one of those people that looks for the perfect band that isn't too mainstream, yet isn't utterly terrible? Well then, the band for you is Baboon. While remaining out of the spotlight that a major label deal (although the disc is distributed by BMG) would bring, Baboon has songs that will make you say, "Damn! These guys are pretty good even though 99X doesn't play them."
Baboon, formed in 1991, is comprised of the remnants of various Texas groups; Andrew Huffstetler leads the band forward on vocals, Steven Barnett pounds away endlessly at the drum kit, Mike Rudnicki plays the guitar, and Bryan Schmidt plays the bass. Secret Robot Control is the Denton, Texas band's second full-length release, their first release on Wind-up Records.
Their first full-length, Face Down in Turpentine, landed them an appearance on the "hit" show, Walker, Texas Ranger. Chuck Norris' assessment of the band? After finding the CD in a dead girl's stereo, Chuck says, "You wouldn't think a girl like that would listen to crap like that." We can forgive Chuck for this blasphemy. What's selling more copies? Secret Robot Control or Sidekicks?
The album opens with the uplifting anthem "Night of the Long Knives," then slips into the rather eerie-sounding "I'm OK If You're OK." This song is reportedly a product of internal strife within the band while recording. If you listen closely, you can hear the sounds of kitchen utensils and broken hardware being hurled against the studio floor. However, all conflicts within the band have thankfully been rectified. "You and I," the best-song-never-to-hit-alternative-radio, is a slightly more poppy tune.
Another facet of Baboon that sets them apart from many other bands is Huffstetler's trombone playing. You may think, "Trombone! Ska!" That's the furthest thing from the truth. The trombone-playing, while adding flavor and spice to such songs as "Bring Me the Head of Jack Skinner" and "A Sip for Strength" (which also includes some spooky clarinet sounds), is pretty bad. It sounds like when my friend Stanley first tried to learn the trombone in the fourth grade.
One thing that is interesting about Baboon is that you never quite know what to feel while you listen to them. While "Numb" could leave you moshing away in your room, "You Kill Me" could leave you crying and wondering why life sucks so much. To use one of the most overused cliches from the past few years, "Baboon is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."
If you're in the mood to break every single thing in your room, give a listen to Baboon. If you're in the mood to reflect about how much you hate girls, give a listen to Baboon. If you don't know what mood you're in, give a listen to Baboon and let them choose for you.