Baby Brave’s new EP Tacky Birthday is a bold, confident step forward for Wrexham’s finest noise-pop quartet. Opening track ‘Alone in Tokyo’ is the catchiest thing they’ve written so far. Its a song of light and shade, from the confusing sample of a phone ringing and someone answering in Japanese to the big, chunky riff. If the lyrics of the bridge are a bit soppy (“Am I the girl who makes you believe/God does exist in all manner of things”) then they’re more than made up for with the chorus’ promise that “I will ruin your quiet life”. It’s a lovely slice of power pop that sets the tone for the EP.
‘Rock Paper Scissors’ is built around a snake-hipped bassline that brings to mind the sort of disco influenced post-punk that Blondie made their name with. It’s certainly surprising when the drums take an almost industrial turn, pounding away in the pre-chorus only for the clouds to part and that slinky riff to return.
The remaining three tracks of the EP seem to run along themes of heartache and confusion. ‘Shinichi Kudo’ is all widescreen guitars, singer Emmi Manteau asking “What would you do if you discovered your lover is in love with another?” before lamenting that “The hardest thing in life is letting go of the one you love”. ‘Traxx’ carries on in a confused vein, a showcase for Manteau’s idiosyncratic vocal style as counter melodies overlap in the outro.
Closer ‘Mimic My Shins’ is an absolute powerhouse of a song, a stream of consciousness about “A diagnosis of a dying relationship”. It has that excited, confused feeling of nervous energy that comes with that very realisation. There’s a channel of pure joy that runs through everything Baby Brave do, making Tacky Birthday an incredibly infectious, triumphant record. As they grow in confidence and conviction we can’t wait to hear what comes next.
[Rating:4.5]
