Baby 81  (Audio CD) 
by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Japanese pressing of the 2007 release from BRMC adds the exclusive bonus track, 'Show's About To Begin'. Baby 81 is an ambitious, powerful, guitar-driven Rock 'N' Roll record that's guaranteed to get people jumping and thinking. Although sonically it's a far cry from 2005's rootsy, acoustic Howl, Baby 81 was born only minutes after the final track on Howl was completed, when Peter Hayes (guitars/vocals) and Robert Levon Been (bass/vocals/keys and son of The Call's Michael Been) were rejoined in the studio by drummer Nick Jago after a brief break up earlier that year. There's plenty on Baby 81 to get inspired by: the chunky riff that launches opener 'Took Out a Loan'; the massive, Led Zeppelin-style beat propelling '666 Conducer', the woozy, piano-led 'Window', or the gorgeous symphonic drone of 'All You Do Is Talk'. But most surprisingly is how the album somehow ties in all three of their previous efforts, while still managing to take a leap forward. BMG. 2007.