Re Upped: Baby - Baby (1975)

Texas hard rockers, Baby, came together in late 1968 as a quintet playing mostly regional high schools. In 1969, the band began stretching out to clubs in the midwest and found themselves gaining quite a following in the process. Within the next year, the quintet underwent a lineup change, bringing hot shot axeslinger Johnny Lee Schell onboard to handle vocals and songwriting. This marked a new beginning for the band, who by this time had adopted a heavier sound. Over the next few years, Baby reigned supreme over the club circuits in the midwest. In 1974, the band financed their own recording and issued their self-titled debut on their own label, Lone Starr Records.

Radio success in the region continued and soon Mercury had licensed the album for national release. Though the material was strong, Baby were unable to break into other markets and soon the album sank without a trace. The following year, Mercury pushed the band back into the studio for another album, "Where Did All the Money Go?". Though the album had its share of decent material, it fared no better and the band were dropped. While in LA on a press junket for the album, the band called it a day and everyone went their separate ways.

Members went on to work with acts like Phantom Blues Band, Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, John Fogerty, Buddy Guy and Melissa Etheridge. Schell also produces acts at his own recording studio and writes film soundtracks. Bassist, Stephen Crane issued a solo album on MCA in 1984.

The album is a pretty solid batch of crunchy Texas boogie, much like early ZZ Top, but with an emphasis on hard rock. Schell's guitar work and vocals are the centerpiece here and rightfully so. The clear standout is "Long Legged Woman", which should've been a huge single for the band. Raunchy, filled with swagger and brimming with energy, the track just rocks from start to finish. The rest of the album is a mix of hard rock and smooth jams, at times bordering on mediocrity but always retaining the band's consistent style and sound. I recommend digging into this one, as it's a mostly satisfying slab of Texas 70's hard rock. Check out this improved vinyl transfer, courtesy of me. Snap it up!

320kbps @ http://lix.in/-316739