Thank goodness for the 2000 remastered and expanded version of
the Babys'
Anthology because it rights a terrible wrong. The sound quality of the original version was absolutely horrible -- flat, muddy, and lifeless. This vastly improved 17-song, 24-bit digitally remastered edition brings out the punch in their underrated brand of power pop and rock. Vocalist/bassist
John Waite is quoted in Brad Elliott's liner notes as saying
the Babys were a better band than they were given credit for, and he's right. Arguably part of the problem was that in the late 1970s and early 1980s the band didn't fit well between the punk and new wave movements. Nevertheless,
the Babys had a smart grasp of how to blend a variety of pop and rock influences into tightly arranged, catchy songs with bursts of horns and female background vocals, and renowned producers like
Bob Ezrin,
Ron Nevison, and
Keith Olsen guided these recordings. The Babys' biggest hits are obviously included: "Isn't it Time," "Every Time I Think of You," "Head First," "Back on My Feet Again," and "Midnight Rendezvous." These glorious highlights only tell part of the story. 2000's
Anthology also smartly adds "Silver Dreams" (the only charted single not included on the original version), album cuts, and a revelatory live track. "Looking for Love (Live)" shows that the band could shed the studio veneer and cut loose on stage, as proven by
Waite's strong singing and lead guitarist Wally Stocker's unleashed riffing. "Head Above the Waves" is a relaxed acoustic-guitar ballad. "I Love How You Love Me" shows traces of a doo wop groove. The only drawback here is the substandard liner notes. Despite a thorough discography, there are no individual album or producer credits. It's also unclear which lineup cut "Looking for Love (Live)." ~ Bret Adams