Uh Huh Baby Yeah - Trash Talk
Rock/Pop
Little Heart Records/Streaker Records
Posted 9/28/13 3:02 PM ET
Uh Huh Baby Yeah present a hybrid of pop-rock with screamo. The go-to formula for pop-rockers that want to get radio play without becoming Justin Bieber (...the reference burns the fingers as it is typed) with enough cursing to enjoy the need for radio edits of the songs. That said the cursing feels like it's there just for that reason though and not to express anger or other emotional extremes, which takes away from their impact; this reviewer isn't a prude when it comes to "crude" and "adult" language but when overused they lose any and all shock to the system value to wake up and/or push listeners to the emotional response the songwriter wishes to evoke. The lyrics are relatable for anyone that has ever gone through a bad break up, or broken up with someone period for that matter; there's no re-writing of a genre going on here. Molds are adhered to like a mountaineer to the side of a cliff in fact. Instruments are solidly played with the above in mind, and vocals are well performed and show a good solidarity with the instruments. The only thing holding the band back from being something special is that their sound, on Trash Talk at least, is that it sounds like they're letting it be manufactured by label execs instead of written by Uh Huh Baby Yeah.
Pacing and overall vibe of this six song semi-pop punk affair is what you would expect from a bubblegum tainted album that has a toe in each of the waters of pop, rock, emo, screamo, and in shining moments true punk. While I admit it sounds like I'm tearing them down to tear them down, I'm really not. I want to like Uh Huh Baby Yeah, honestly I do. The watered down, homogenized rock/punk/alt rock that has been the norm for the past four-five years gets under my skin. If this is truly the sound the band wants to aim for than more power to them, make the machine of the industry your prison bitch, if not then take back some power and chart your course! In an age when it's do what you love for the sake of loving it or do what you love someone else's way to make a living at it choose your side and own it. When I listen to this album I hear times where it feels like the members of Uh Huh Baby Yeah want to break out of the mold they're playing in and be harder, more in your face and then pull back to the corporate pop-rock comfort zone.
Soapbox away, this part is for Uh Huh Baby Yeah... guys, be who you want to be and perform the way you want to. If I've misinterpreted what you're going for and/or you're genuinely there in this zone than own and keep playing on. You're great musicians, just be you.
Track list:
- Dances With Wolves
- Whores Will Be Whores
- Dead Friends
- Cuntroversy
- You Creep Me Out
- Ocean of You