There’s something amazing that happens when a group of musicians come together, with a like-minded approach to their sound, and deliver music that sounds completely different than anything else currently out there. Babyfang are here with their debut EP, called In The Face Of, that re-captures youthful exuberance paired with lyrics brimming with substance about making real change in this world. The band is Théo Mode (guitarist), Canteen Killa (drummer) and 13th Law (bassist), with all of the members being instrumentalists, producers, singers, and songwriters. Packed with talent, the band falls somewhere between the unpredictability of The Mars Volta, the pop-sensibilities of Radiohead, and the rock and roll spirit of The Rolling Stones. In the band’s own words, “The music is a response to / an expression of all that we’ve felt in the face of everything that has been / is happening right now; a lot of rage and joy and hope and sadness and gratefulness of just being able to make this music at all.” Babyfang might just be the most important band to storm onto the scene in years.
After a smooth introduction of noise found on the first track, the band blisters into “Goan Go,” the lead single from the EP. The track is short and to the point, paired with crisp alt-rock production in order to make each note of music have a lasting impact on the listener. In between the choruses, Babyfang continues to keep things interesting with complex instrument fills in order to keep interest high in their unique brand of rock. “Scars Go” follows with some breathy vocals in the verses to allow for the audience to become completely enamored and engulfed in the sound the band is going for. It’s one of those songs you put on your trip to the beach playlist, and when you want to forget about all of the outside noise going on in this strange world we live in.
”All Then” comes next up in the sequencing with a rhythmic, near-rapped verse before breaking away into three-part vocal harmonies in the chorus that simply must be heard to believed. What the band does best on songs like this is take their love of vocal-driven artists like The Beach Boys and The Beatles, and add in their own twist of experimental rock to reinvent the realm of possibilities found in their music.
The back section of the EP starts with “Crush Me,” and it does just that by swallowing the listener whole in the crescendos that come before each creative chorus. “IDWTAI” is the penultimate song on the record and reminds me a bit of the frenetic energy Incubus had on S.C.I.E.N.C.E., with equally thrilling results. The driving bass line by 13th Law is repetitive, yet packed with purpose, as the song slow-builds to a chorus that demands audience participation in shouting back each pointed lyric. “End Credits” closes out In The Face Of that never overstays its welcome, and if anything, makes the listener an instant fan of Babyfang’s creative outlet of music.