Baby Teeth

The Simp

(Lujo)

Record Review by Alexis Roberts

I knew going into this that Baby Teeth was anything but average. It’s funny that they call this album The Simp, because simp is derived from simpleton, and my goodness this album is not by any means simple. Perhaps it’s sort of an ironic play on words, or maybe they really just liked the 1920 Lloyd Hamilton short film by the same name. That could explain the nostalgic photography inside their album jacket.

On this album Baby Teeth basically take the word “eclectic” to a new damn level. I hear this CD and every song feels like it could be a different band from a different decade playing completely different styles of music and covering all of the ground from typical indie to country to classic rock and even (cringe) disco.

Not to say that Baby Teeth aren’t a damn solid band, but this album feels indecisive and not very unified. Versatility is a nice thing, in moderation and when used with careful attention. To quote one of the great bands of our time, The Spice Girls: “Too much of something is bad enough/ too much of nothing is just as tough.” Find yourself some stable footing in the middle ground. You can remain all-embracing without sacrificing creativity; you just have to find the tasteful way to execute that, which is the hard part.

I fear that Baby Teeth are just so all over the board that it will be hard for them to find a wide audience… because, let’s be honest with ourselves, not everyone has such broad taste in music. The songs are good, though, and the band is full of life and talent, I really just think they need to turn down the rambunctiousness a notch without falling into the trap of making the same album every two years. They are still a fairly new band, so they’ve got time. The plus side to this album? It’s great if you are into mix tapes.