5 / 10
What is it with these retroids? Was hard rock's past so good that we have to experience it all over again via dodgy Swedish punks? But the Backyard Babies, like all hopeless rock casualties, couldn't give a shit what we think. As long as the ghost of Johnny Thunders, the vibe of The Wildhearts and the riffs of Aerosmith are on hand to supply the vicarious thrills, they'll keep sinking to the challenge.
But it's not all rank'n'roll in the Babies' Backyard. And there has to be at least one good reason why 'Making Enemies...' reached the top of the charts on their home turf other than through lack of any decent alternative. So 'Bigger W/A Trigger' is a healthy enough diversion with crossover appeal, and new single 'Brand New Hate' benefits from Ginger Wildheart's sonic stamp, delivering a good-time rock blast á la Guns N'Roses. But the rest burdens the listener with such hilarious tripe as "The kids are right from doing wrong" ('The Kids Are Right') buried within the bland, Slashy solos.
Cliché-ridden vocalist Nicke Borg reckons the Backyard Babies will sound fresh and exciting in ten years' time. That's a long wait.
Darren Johns
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