Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
this guy is crazy!, May 8, 2006
if you ever needed proof that aliens have invaded mother earth, you need look no further than baby dayliner's latest release, 'critics pass away' (a title that perhaps serves as a pre-emptive strike against so-called 'critics' who will undoubtedly dismiss this album as derivitive of any number of musicians/genres/styles.
pegging 'critics' is a troubling task. the album's variety is at once its greatest strength and greatest weakness. the songs themselves are capable, catchy, and well-done. every song leaves you saying, 'hey, that sounds like (fill in the blank).' you'll hear influences ranging from OMD, franz ferdinand, ABC, magnetic fields, jay-z, frank sinatra, and even buster poindexter. 'house and confusion,' for example, starts out with a decidedly jay-z beat before the soaring blue-eyed vocals show up which are immediately followed by some truly hideous white-boy rap ('how should i act? how should i move? what's right or wrong? funny or not, how to rock the spot, what the spot was rocked already?') the thing is, you can't stop listening to it. it's the proverbial train wreck analogy. but the album is so much fun to listen to, so infectious, so melodic, and so unlike anything else that you can't help but smile while listening to it.
'critics pass away' certainly makes for a fun and occassionally engaging listen (i've already listened to it twice today). however, such variety makes it difficult for baby dayliner to forge his own identity. all this, however, may be entirely the point. i don't know whether or not it's a smart move to reference just about every known musical genre--ethan marunus is either a blatant thief, or a musical genius. it's one or the other. on what side of the divide will you fall? you'll have to listen to it for yourself.
**update**
i saw baby dayliner in concert a few weeks ago. i was one of the four people there who went specifically see him on the multi-band bill. by the end of his set he had the audience dancing like crazy-folk. i got to speak with him afterwards and he's a top bloke. tall, too.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Baby Dayliner makes the most progressive pop music around, May 14, 2006
The clash of styles and form here create one of the most original albums you can find. Once upon a time a pop icon had to flex his/her muscles in any number of genres. The days of that are gone, except for Baby Dayliner, who explores a wide range of styles on this disc, and invents a couple genres along the way (listen to the song, `At Least,' and you'll see). Not only that, he puts his own stamp and personality on every single track with his impeccable vocal delivery, and with the depth and peculiarity of his lyrics. And yes, he wrote and produced the entire thing. This album is worthy of your time and money, friend. Buy it.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Listen to this album, January 26, 2007
This album is amazing front to back. My favorites are tracks 1 - 3 and 12. I'm not exactly sure where people are getting the list of "obvious" influences for Baby Dayliner. It has the uncanny ability to sound like something you think you've heard before but you can never put your finger on exactly what it might be.
This album is so fresh and unique that any music fan should give it a listen no matter what genres they usually prefer. It's too bad it's not more widely known. It deserves a wider audience.
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Interact With Your Music: Discover, listen to, and buy new music, all from the pages of SPIN's digital edition, free to Amazon customers.
by Baby Dayliner 
