Babyjane – Make It Sick
BABYJANE
MAKE IT SICK
Released November 15, 2012 (Babyjane)
Track List:
01. Make It Sick
02. She’s Just A Liar
03. New York Queen/London Whore
04. Nu-Sonic Plague
05. Bad Woman
06. Ruby Roulette
07. Bittersweet
08. Fakin’ It
09. Underground Detention
10. Somebody Up There Hates Me
11. Bleeding Eyes
Band:
Andy Smith – vocals and guitar
John Gerasolo – lead guitar
Paul Judge – bass and vocals
Nik Kats – drums
Additional Musicians:
John Corabi – vocals (1)
Production:
Produced, mixed and mastered by Michael Wagener. Engineered by Shani Gandhi.
Review:
Just over a year and a half ago Babyjane entered the crowded sleaze rock scene with their debut offering Are You Listening. Now the Australian rockers are back, presenting more of what made their first release so entertaining but also a couple clunkers that I was hoping would have been discarded this time around.
The opening title track is arguably the best song Babyjane have ever recorded, even surpassing “Are You Listening”. It is the type of over-the-top ball-busting rocker that L.A. Guns used to write, and recruiting former Motley Crue frontman John Corabi to scream along with the band is simply icing on the cake. The wonderfully titled “New York Queen/London Whore” is another sleazy track that L.A. Guns would willingly exchange a couple of their finest groupies in order to have in their repertoire — and they might be willing to make a deal with the devil to get a hold of the furious “Fakin’ It”, another of the album’s standouts. “Ruby Roulette” perfectly captures the sound of the ’80s with its furious guitar leads and gang chorus, and I love the line ‘I wish I could forget what I remember and remember what I forgot’.
On the other side of the coin are “Bad Woman”, “Underground Detention” and the pointless outro “Bleeding Eyes”, a collection of songs that seem to be lacking the energy and sleazy sound that makes Babyjane exciting. Although I could give the boys a pass on “Bad Woman”, seeing as it is a moody ballad that has the potential to grow on me over time.
I find Babyjane is at their best when they revisit the past — and while the L.A. Guns comparisons are unavoidable this time around, to say these Aussies are strictly copycats would be an injustice. They have the energy and drive of hard rock’s forefathers but also add enough modern conveniences to not be considered carbon copies. I’m still not convinced Babyjane have hit their peak, although they stepped things up on this album, but when they do get prepared to be blown away because these guys have shown a hell of a lot of promise over their last two platters.
www.babyjane.com.au – www.facebook.com/pages/BABYJANE/110902428925603
Reviewed by Skid for Sleaze Roxx, December 2012
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