Baby Strange are one of the top quality acts which have emerged from Glasgow in recent times. The band have already brought a number of excellent post-punk singles to the market in the two years or so that they’ve been together. Having seen them live a couple of times and snapped up all their existing recorded material, I was glad to hear they had another single in the offing, produced in the lead up to the release of their first album later in the year.
For those of you who are new to the band, the music is raw and sharp enough to cut yourself on, with Jonny Madden’s bristling vocals and bleak, foreboding guitar stretched over taught rhythms from Connaire McCann on drums and Aiden McCann on bass. The whole set up is tight and spare, no unnecessary embellishments, just edgy, brusque and loud.
Having said all that, ‘VVV’ takes the tempo down a notch. The solid rhythm is slower. The vocals are the focus, Madden’s voice is deep and sonorous, still maintaining the dangerous edge, pulling you towards a darker place. There is a jagged sophistication evident throughout, the bleak sexuality of the lyrics delivered in perfect keeping with the spare mood of the piece. This latest offering seems like a coming of age, showing a strengthening of intent and ability. Whilst not containing the trademark wailing guitars of tracks like ‘Pure Evil’, the song still features a strong chorus and an immaculate simplicity which Baby Strange do so well.
The single is due to be released as a very limited edition double A side vinyl with ‘When I’m Dead’ by Dolomite Minor to coincide with tour dates beginning in early February. ‘VVV’ will be available to download on the 2nd February.
RIFFED's Rating: 8/10
'VVV' is currently unavailabe, but listen to Baby Strange with 'Pure Evil' via Youtube: