The full-length debut from Melbourne-based
Clairy Browne & the Bangin' Rackettes, 2012's
Baby Caught the Bus, features the ensemble's swaggering mix of old-school soul, doo wop, and R&B. Centered around the sultry, powerful vocals of singer
Clairy Browne, the band evinces a heavy '60s pop aesthetic while still delivering a contemporary spin on its influences. Tracks like "Love Letter," "Aeroplane," and "Far Too Late" are bluesy yet danceable cuts that feature the band's full horn section and sassy backup singers. In that sense, the band mixes the jazzy pop of the late
Amy Winehouse with the vintage soul sound of
Mayer Hawthorne. They also bring to mind the similarly inclined work of such acts as
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings,
Duffy, and
the Pipettes. Ultimately, while many of the songs on
Baby Caught the Bus sound as if they could be long lost Motown singles, there is an urgency and fresh energy to the album that makes it an immediately infectious listen. ~ Matt Collar