by Kevin Crandall (@kevin_crandall1)
For over fifteen years, the hallowed dressing rooms of Kleinfeld Bridal have played host to the cameras of TLC, allowing unprecedented access to bridal catastrophes, prudish grandmothers attempting to usurp the gown-clad throne, and an ungodly array of white (eggshell?) colors. The music of babybaby_explores is certainly too synth-filled and colorful to back the footage of bridezillas demanding lace be removed from the bust of their new dress, but the band itself utilizes Say Yes To The Dress as a moniker of sorts. Contrary to the arrogant particularity of the TLC hit, babybaby_explores takes the idea “say yes to the dress” at face value: “we almost always say yes to everything” said drum machinist/synth-master Gabe C-D in an interview here at Post-Trash. With every band that approached them with offers of gigs post-lockdown, the Providence trio would gladly accept, broadening their imprint and reach in the noise and alternative communities. This “say yes to the dress” way of business would ultimately lead babybaby_explores to a record deal with No-Gold, founded by Angus Andrews. Their latest offering, Food Near Me, Weather Tomorrow, is their first release as labelmates under the Liars frontman.
Birthed out of playing sessions where the inane and impromptu reign, babybaby_explores latest venture is the zany journey of reverberating earworms spilled over ten tracks. Each song is spontaneous and soaked in reverb, backed by drums alternating between twerkable and psychedelic. Lids B-day flutters in and out in a torrent, their voice echoing across much like thunder cutting through a pattering of raindrops. The first listen slaps you across the face while you’re head-nodding. The second is much the same. The melodies, simplistic and repetitive, burrow into your head and refuse to be evicted. It’s a fun album, and addicting as hell.
Lyrically, Food Near Me, Weather Tomorrow takes the mundane and guts it throughout the album. “Ducks” gives the impression of a shroom trip to feed bread to ducks at the local pond, while simultaneously possessing a queer tinge through the usage of ducks/d*kes as pseudo-homonyms of sorts. A similar technique is at work in “Pants,” where Lids rapidly alternates between “pants” and “past,” blurring the two before the melody devolves into a hurricane of shimmering synths and electric guitar licks. These word fusions function as kaleidoscope lenses, contorting the banal in spectacular ways.
While the album is overflowing with warped bangers, the pinnacle of babybaby_explores’ sophomore effort arrives in the form of a sewed-on tongue. “Twiddle” perfectly captures the utter frustration of listening to someone drone on and on, refusing to just shut up. “You you you you / talk talk talk talk / so much so much so much!” Lids repeats, biting their tongue off as they’re unable to get a word in. The premise is so simple yet universal, the execution perfect in its exhaustive inflections.
Food Near Me, Weather Tomorrow by babybaby_explores (the Reasons Why that Gum is Still on the Sidewalk); the most commonly Googled questions are juxtaposed with the least-searchable band name. The irony of this is not lost on the band—in fact, they embrace it. They are not afraid to laugh at themselves, and the playfulness with which they create their music and have curated their image is exactly what you’d expect from three people who describe themselves as “fweaky” best friends on their Bandcamp. Food Near Me, Weather Tomorrow has shown their ability to produce high-quality sound without sacrificing the love and spontaneity that makes babybaby_explores so loveable to their day-one fans. The DIY feel is here to stay, and we are so glad for that.