The Babalooneys are keepin' it hot! It's been just under two years since they slipped in with their surf traditionalists' dream LP Late to the Party. And Goin' For It has no intention to mess with a successful formula.
Right off the bat "Waveline" starts with one of those chords that flushes your ears with a feeling. It's a great all-arounder -- upbeat, pretty, with intricate guitar and a little bit of sax to keep things light.
"Soup Surfer" starts off with a line that sounds a lot like Richie Allen's "Malibu Run". And I think that's a key thing about The Babalooneys, perhaps this album in particular; a lot of these songs feel like you can find a singular influence on them. They never feel like a lazy rearrangement -- more of an emulation of mood -- and so little phrases like this feel like a wink to the savvy listener.
"Kick Turn" is a fun one, with a mean mood from a Pyramids-esque baseline, and then that pressure seeps over into "Foam Breaker", which gets a little more aggressive, which seems to build even further and louder... and that keeps on into "Stroker McGurk's Ride". If you're looking for locked-in surf numbers, there's plenty to choose from on this side, and even one literally called "Locked In Part II" on the other side.
And while we're flippin the disc over, is where I want to break in and say that a lot of this works because a big, looming mean guitar sounds big and looming, and when it sparkles it shines. Because they did the same thing as their previous record, recorded by Guillaume Chaisson and mixed and mastered by Shorty Poole, and if they hadn't I'd question that decision. While this is perhaps a little less cavernous and a bit less compressed than Late to the Party, it still sounds exemplary. I don't want to say that they've dialed in an ideal traditional surf sound because just last year I. Jeziak did a phenomenal job while sounding distinctly different, but they sure do know how to make this band sing. I'd also mention that when I ordered this LP from Hi-Tide I also ordered a copy of Shorty's new EP and it's fantastic.
I've found that I'm a little more partial to side B of this LP. "Pomona Fireball" starts off with an Endless Summer feel (despite some dragster noise!) but ramps up into a hip-shakin' good time! Then into "Curb Surfin'" which has guitar and dueling for a wild and good time. "Cup-o-Coffee" is one that I'm surprised I liked as much as I did, as it's mostly a drum solo, but it's a great palate cleanser and you can really feel the enthusiasm behind it. Love the sound of the sticks going down when it's done! "Time Slip" is one of my favorite tracks, with such a warm and sunny sound to it. The album closes out with "Overcast", which certainly feels like it takes the bellowing swing of The Centurians and absolutely milks it. It's a favorite on the record, and a great closing track.
The Babalooneys know classic surf. They've ingested a ton of it, understand it, and can spit out something that synthesizes the strengths of so many bands before them into something new and enjoyable. And it sucks when AI does that, but they're humans! And those humans can play guitar that can span so many moods in a single track, rock&roll sax that some might have thought extinct, bass that can enclose an entire song, and drums that feel like they can barely hold back. I've had this album for a while, and on first listen it was clear that they'd done it again (and with entirely originals this time!). Easy recommend, The Babalooneys have cemented their place in the highest echelon of trad surf today. BUT! Inevitably the question is, is it better? And without any real complaint, Late to the Party popped just a little bit more for me. You'll have to buy both and choose for yourself.
Goin' For it is out now on fancy blue vinyl with an obi strip on it, bandcamp, and probably other digital spots. The vinyl has an insert for buying a $300CA Babalooneys skateboard that I'll let somebody else review. The art is done by M. Guerrero, who I'm not sure we've seen on a Hi-Tide release yet but knocks it out of the park with a great series of cartoon sketches, attractively laid out out with the title text. Love it!
