Customer Reviews

First Base (Dig)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was recently "relieved" of my CD collection and am now starting to rebiuld. I am starting with my favorite "First Base", by Babe Ruth. I bought this album almost twenty years ago, and I can't get along without it. To me, the song "Wells Fargo" is one of the best songs I have EVER heard (and I've heard a lot!). I've never heard a song that says "crank me up as loud as your stereo will go, rattle the windows and dance till you collapse!" like that song. Hahn's vocals, Shacklock's guitar, and oh, that saxaphone! I love the way that song fades into the quiet brilliance of "Runaway", which proves, along with "King Kong","Joker", and "The Mexican" That this was a band of true musicianship, versatility, and depth. It's a pity that this band never got it's due, but I'm glad that I know about arguably the best kept secret in Rock and Roll, Babe Ruth.

...was so I could continue to enjoy this album (before it came out on CD).

I can't remember a time when I didn't know every song on this album. My parents were in their early 20's when it came out (and I was 4) and consequently, I grew up hearing this album over and over again (along with Head East's "Flat as a Pancake").

This album is one of the best kept secrets of modern music. It only has 6 cuts (the original album - not the import), but this is a definite case of quality being more important than quantity. The songs are long, but not so long as to get boring and make you want to move the needle (or hit the >> button) to escape from them. The vocal "stylings" of Jenny Hahn are incredibly powerful (you'd never think it to look at her picture on the back cover!) and are a perfect match for the music. Alan Shocklock's vocals and guitar work (not to mention his writing) are superb. What I've always found particularly interesting is the intricate interplay between the lead guitar and the organ. They duet on nearly every song, but the effect never gets boring. (And it's very interesting to listen to each one individually by adjusting your Balance knob!)

I was ecstatic when I discovered this on CD several years ago. It was like listening to it for the first time, to hear the music so clean and clear, without the hindering pops and cracks of the vinyl version I inherited from my parents.

Buy it - now! If you like strong, driven, 70's progressive rock, you cannot leave this one behind!

I would rate this as one of the best debut albums by a rock group from the early 70's, and this is an outstanding album. However, this is not my favorite Babe Ruth album. The second album,"Amar Caballero," was totally different from "First Base," and had so many different styles of music and types of songs, including "spanish-style" songs. I think Babe Ruth's best albums were the self-titled third album, and "Stealin' Home," both which came out the same year, in 1975. Both of those are much harder rock. The First Base album definitely had some great hard rock songs, but it also had some that were totally different from anything that was coming out at that time or era, and that's what made this band so great, that they could play any kind or style of music, and it all sounded great. I like all of their albums, this is the album that got me into them, but when I heard the third and fourth albums, I was into them even more. But this is one great debut album, possibly one of the best ever. Babe Ruth also had some very accomplished musicians, and of course, the great Janita Haan singing lead vocals with her powerful and awesome voice, she's one of the best ever in my opinion. She's sounds fantastic and all four of the Babe Ruth albums she appeared on.

Glenn Signal Hill,CA USA

I concur with what all the previous reviewers have written! Put this in your car's CD player and CRANK IT UP! The leader, guitarist, and principal writer, Alan Shacklock was a talent with whom to reckon. Check out Wells Fargo and The Mexican which has been covered a few times by other bands.

One of the best unknown albums out there! My only complaint (for losing the fifth star) is the overly-dramatic vocals.

Back in the day when breakdancing was a quirky phenomenon of the West Bronx, and hip hop wasn't even classified yet, "The Mexican" was one of the NYC B Boy anthems. The spanish guitar and thumping bass combination are infectious. Even though I bought this on the strength of that song alone, I would still give it a 5. It's that good.

Well Babe Ruth certainly falls under the category for "underrated rock bands from the 70's" because THIS band has everything going for them- strong vocal melodies, instrumental skills that absolutely amaze me, great guitar solos, and just the kind of songwriting where you feel they went the extra mile to make it better than most.

I absolutely LOVE the female singer from this band. With a beautiful hoarse voice, it's hard NOT to fall in love with it. When she sings dazzling vocal melodies in addition to having such a spectacular voice... NOW we're talking! Her performance on "The Runaways" leaves me speechless, as does the dramatic instrumental build-up near the end. Just fantastic.

"Black Dog", no way related to the Led Zeppelin song released a year earlier, is just great. Once again the vocals catch my attention, but the piano jam in the middle is really nice. "King Kong", no way related to the movie, is just fantastic because of the the guitar playing that's played in a very progressive rock kind of way, similar to Wishbone Ash from their debut album. In fact every once in a while the guitar playing reminds me of classic Judas Priest. I say YES, this is a great album, and not just because I'm a big baseball fan who's happy my Phillies won the World Series last year.

This is still one of my all time favorite albums.........Jenny Haah's vocals were astonishing, to say the least......and although they released a few more records after First Base, none of them came close to this one.............and to answer a question from a fan who also reviewed this record; "The Mexican" was coverd in 1984 by Benito " Jellybean" Benitez, he even tracked down Jenny to do the vocals on it !!!!If you come across this CD.....................get it............it is well worth it and if you are a true rock music fan, you won't regret it.

6 tunes on original vinyl album, all of them good. Specially if one considers when this album was out. Great beat, great moods.

The smash disco hit "The Mexican" holds the distinction of being able to get under the skin of the most hardened disco denizen. I have seen grown men lose their date to form impromptu dance competitions against each other and they definitely are not gay. Some pubs will not play it because additional room is needed for the participants to strut their stuff. Dancers stop and form circles to watch. It is truly amazing what this old tune still has the capacity to do.

Babe Ruth is Back in the Studio and a new CD should be out within 3 months of this review date.

I am very much looking forward to hearing what they have to say now, the 70's albums were superb

Update, the new CD is out and can be purchased at http://88.208.234.19/process.php?pname=ShopfrontProcess-Start

Band website http://www.baberuthband.com/