The Merbabies
The Merbabies
Reviewed by Danielle Lee Aderholdt
The Merbabies, a threesome from Long Beach, Calif., run a pretty loose ship musically, with a lazy guitar, dull bass and drums that more often than not lack a certain snap. Add that to the fairly muddy production work, and overall you've got a nice, numb wall of noise. The first track, "Slowdown," is precisely the wrong song with which to lead the record. It sounds like vocalist Chris Bowden is singing through a towel from behind the bathroom door while the rest of the band jams down the hall in the kitchen. Things pick up a bit with "Merry Mixer," an instrumental pop confection, evoking the beaches and surf of the band's home. Suddenly, you're right in the middle of a Hawaii 5-0 episode, and just up the beach Moondoggie and Gidget are surfin' in the U.S.A. For all the fuzz of the first half of the record, the second half picks up considerably. The vocals and lyrics become a bit stronger, the band is tighter, and the guitar riffs occasionally sound a bit like early Neil Young. This album sounds as if it was recorded as a work in progress. With a bit more effort, though, there is potential here for a really fun band in the tradition of Model Engine. Their lack of zing is the only thing holding The Merbabies back.