Customer Reviews

People Like People Like People Like Us

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

 

 

I saw the bad reviews on here, so I felt as though some positive comments were needed. This CD took a couple months to grow on me, I'll say that. I agree that it's different Backyard Babies, but i think this is their most complete effort yet. Give it a listen, give it some time. It's worth it.

Backyard Babies started out as incredibly energetic punk rockers. Being from Sweden, their great advantage was that they cared little for the rules of British and American punk, and added metal, glam, and power pop to their sound to create real excitement. Well now either age, boredom, or record company pressure has transformed Backyard Babies into non-threatening punk-popsters of the type for which they used to be the antidote. Backyard Babies have long been linked with another important Swedish band, the Hellacopters, who have followed a similar path, in their case from brutal hard rock to bland southern boogie. Hellacopters frontman Nicke Andersson has produced this new Backyard Babies album, and that's of interest to serious fans of the Swedish rock scene, but unfortunately the results don't offer much excitement.

A few songs on this disc almost display the old Backyard Babies energy, including "Dysfunctional Professional," "Blitzkrieg Loveshock," and "Hold 'em Down." But most of the songs here offer little more than a mature take on middle-of-the-road punk-pop junk like Good Charlotte or Sum 41, and by all means avoid the failed mid-tempo blues attempt "Roads" (the type of song that has lately derailed the Hellacopters). Drummer Peder Carlsson is the one member of the band who's still trying to play with his old energy, but here he just sounds like he's overdoing it, compared to everyone else's blandness. And lead guitarist Dregen, who was once as crazy and mind-blowing as any hard rock axe hero you could name, is barely audible on this album. Sadly, these former leaders have become the followers of their followers. [~doomsdayer520~]

I chose to review the Japanese Import of this one since I weighed my options or whatever and decided since the single for "The Mess Age" only had two tracks; including "Shattered Bonds" which is found here also, I would pay the extra bit rather than get the single also, because they had been putting out 3 track singles with unreleased tracks in the past, but I guess those great days are over.

The Backyard Babies put out a lot of great material that just plain rocks, and I've come to the conclusion that they are my favorite bands of the last 10 years or so along with Buckcherry, and my dearly departed Toilet Boys, who once wore the crown also I guess. This CD here though just continues with the formula the BB's have been using and refining since they started out all those years ago. I liked the way they sounded in '94, and I like the way they sound today.

I've listened to the album quite a few times, and it just keeps getting better to me. If I was picking singles I would probably go with "We Got A Long Way Back", "The Mess Age"..which IS the first single, "Roads" I love, it is a slower track but has a great feel to it, "Dysfunctional Professional" is another anthem. "I Got Spades", the title track that kicks off the album, and the bonus track "Shattered Bonds" is single worthy also. The great thing about this album and any Backyard Babies CD really is all the great songs. I loved "Earn The Crown" from the last CD and it wasn't a single. Same with "Heaven 2.9" from Making Enemies (both can be found in Live form on the Live Live In Paris CD also of course, and those are great versions also.

This CD just rocks so well, and is a great companion for the summer. So if you're into hard rock that makes you feel like celebrating or just rocking out to in general, you can't go wrong with a Backyard Babies CD, particularly this one. People like us love this!

For the most part I write reviews on music (bands), so this won't be anything new...except this band is new to me, and that means something, Like another "you should buy this record" schpeal. Ok, ok...maybe not so right off the bat, but you should buy. Some people a critical on Backyard for selling out and making this record to POPPY, and not so PUNKY....if you like Megadeath, or the Ramones and can listen to those guys all day everyday with no variation, then Backyard is NOT FOR YOU! These guys mix it up which is refreshing. It's not just all a punk sound, they started out (earlier records that is) Punk, and heavy, but as they matured as musicians you hear it in there sound. Call it selling out...Look at Metallica! THEY DID BIG TIME!!! Do I like them, YES. Do I like all their music, not really (especially the TIN CAN record, which is so bad I couldn't tell you name off hand...2 redcords ago I think) anyway....Backyard Babies are a great European Punk Band. I own the 3 CD set and This record (I beleive it's their 2,3,4,5,&6th records LIVE IN PARIS included) and I can't say I get disinterested if I play them all back to back, which is good. A good parameter in judging quality music. This record is very sing-a-long and catchy (A-specially C*ckblocker Blues, just the song name can be catchy! Go ahead say it! C*ckblocker Bluuuues!) Where was I...as I just listened to it a, 3:35min break, sorry...Backyard Babies, yet another European band, like Babylon Bombs, Crazy Lixx and The Wildhearts Who I've come to find are all Top Quality that never got US notibility....which is sad, music in the US is going the way of the dinosaur. Sure there are exceptions but I will say and many will agree (to disagree) the US music market has su'kd over the last decade...oh well.... I'll stop now. If you find this record or any of Backyards stuff get it! After-all They sware! Yet another criteria of mine for good music!

This CD has quite a few of my recent favs by the Babies, it did take me awhile to warm to it, since i heard the songs the first time around at their website right before it came out.

Overall it's got a good vibe to it, hard rock with great hooks. To me not like classics from the past, but songs like "Dysfunctional Professional", and even "We Go A Long Way Back"...(which is probably my fav song on here right now) measure up to a point with earlier songs. I really like "I Got Spades", and "Hero and The Heroine" also with the title cut also.

Repeated listens opens up other tracks like "Cockblocker Blues", and "Blitzkrieg Loveshock" for my anyway. Although "The Mess Age" is an okay song, it is perhaps not as single worthy as the other two favs I mentioned also from this one.

"Roads" is another fav that is more of a laid back country rock jolt to it, probably my 3rd fav song on here in front of The Mess Age. Nicke has a great rock voice, not great range of course, but this song gives his voice some warmth instead of strain perhaps if that makes any sense, I just like the feel of it when it's played in certain order of songs. Sometimes I just program in favs, and it always get's played, so I definitly hear it alot.

i am agreeing here with John Holcomb that although this is not their best cd it is still very good!!
aswell as alberto_br i too have seen the backyard babies perform these songs live and they get better and better everytime i see them.
this cd is definately worth your money as are any other byb cds
yes their style has changed slightly but it does on every album they release bringing a fresh sound to their music which is what most people love about them!
do not be put off by these negative comments they are obviously scared of change =D

Ritorno in grande stile per i Backyard Babies, questa volta prodotti dall'amico Nicke Andersson degli Hellacopters. Forse cinque stelle sono eccessive per un prodotto come questo, ma sicuramente 4.5 sono meritatissime.
Grande energia profusa in 13 brani di puro punk n' roll.
I Ragazzi dei BYB sono cresciuti e si sono evoluti raggiungendo il loro massimo picco artistico e come songwriters in questo "People Like Us", regalandoci piccole perle come "I Got Spades", "Heroes & Heroines" e la stupenda "Roads", prima vera power ballad della band (escludendo qualche episodio dal trascurabile disco d'esordio "Diesel & Power").
La produzione, secca e tagliente, mai invadente o ridondante da al suono dei BYB una dimensione quanto nuova quanto adatta al loro stile essenziale ed aggressivo.
Unica nota dolente del disco "Cockblocker Blues", brano del chitarrista Dregen che sinceramente ha ben poco a che fare con il vibe dell'intera produzione.
L'edizione giapponese in questione, oltre ad essere graziata da una copertina decisamente più accattivante di quella scelta per il mercato europeo arriva anche con una stupenda bonus track estratta dal singolo "Dysfunctional Professional".
Un disco per gli amanti del rock aggressivo e sporco che non lesina melodie piacevoli e d'impatto!

I went yesterday to the concert that the Backyard Babies gave in Lyon (France) presenting their new album. This time I decided getting to know life the new songs before buying the album. Good that I did so! The new songs played during the concert were really disappointing. Cockblocker Blues was the only remarkable song from those ones. They played great songs from previous albums but the total duration of the concert was of about 1h and 15min. Only! Can you believe it? I could not. And the passion that they used to have was missed. It was clear from the very beginning that Nicke did not want to be there. And the efforts from the rest of the band (Dregen awesome, I must say!) could not save the concert. I watched them playing five years ago in Germany when they were on tour for the Making Enemies Is Good album. At that time they made a great concert. Those were the Backyard Babies! And it is like that that I want to remember them. I do not know who was yesterday on the stage. I travelled yesterday more than 100 km after finishing at work just to watch them. Luckily Supagroup (the supporting band) did a good job on the stage and I did not feel that I wasted my time. Groups nowadays that are used to sell out concerts should remember that not managing it from time to time (because of the lack of publicity from the organization most of the times) does not mean to remove all the passion from their playing. The people that are there (independently of being 1000 or 100 or 10!) have a reason to be there: they like their music and they want to share with them an evening of their life. This is not always reciprocal as we could see yesterday night.