After
the Undertones went under, brothers Sean O'Neill and Damian O'Neill didn't tone down the angst one bit as
That Petrol Emotion.
Babble is their great rock opus. Absolutely swimming in catchy hooks and walls of guitars and any other instruments on hand, the album resides in the great pantheon of pop/rock squall alongside
the Buzzcocks' Singles Going Steady and
Television's Marquee Moon. With vocals that rally against all sorts of corruption, political and social, the band displays an intelligence sorely missing in the music of most of their peers. There's not a misstep to be found on the album, and listening to it for the first time is a near spellbinding experience. Highlights include the monumental wail of "For What It's Worth," the staccato pop genius of "Big Decision," and the dance-worthy madness of "Creeping to the Cross." This remastered edition adds five additional tracks that include three alternate mixes of songs on the album and two hard to find songs, the superbly sweet ballad "Soul Deep" and the party anthem "Dance Your Ass Off." Inspiring Brit-pop and injecting substance into the music of the day,
Babble is an essential album of the late '80s. ~ Tim DiGravina