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Product Description
Review
Of course, there’s never been such a thing as a dead cert. But as 2012 greets us with a new batch of hopefuls, it feels like being a guitar band tipped for big things is an ever-more parlous situation to be in. One thinks of several thousand sperm racing to be the one to fertilise that sole egg, or a wretched World War One tommy trudging through no man’s land as the sky shrieks with bullets. Last year, The Vaccines toured everywhere, released five singles and a top five album, but ended up somewhere short of the household name status that greeted Franz, the Arctics, The Libertines. And that, just for context, is an unqualified success story; the less said about Viva Brother the better.
One could not accuse Camden’s Tribes of not aiming high, though. Their plucky debut does its utmost to feel big at every turn, both in terms of influence and songwriting. The likes of Whenever and When My Day Comes judiciously mix gritty Pixies quiet-loudness, arch Britpop phrasing, and a splash of Razorlight swagger into something urgent and upfront. Pretty much every track here boasts a chorus apparently designed to be sung back by a room, or better still a field, of people.
Frontman Johnny Lloyd does like to ring out a bit of sentiment, trembling “What use is God if you can’t see him?” on Nightdriving, or thinking of the children on gay love scandal Sappho: “How d’ya tell a son that his daddy left his mum when she fell in love / With a girl like you?” We Were Children takes a brash stab at a sort of glammed-up and slovenly Libertines nostalgia, while particularly poignant is Corner of an English Field, an elegy to the band’s late friend Charlie Haddon of Ou Est Le Swimming Pool.
Will all this be enough to propel Tribes into the public consciousness? It is difficult to imagine Baby will be any sort of game-changer. It’s spirited enough, neatly sequenced, but perhaps lacks the ingenuity to rework its influences into something that feels new. Still, careers have been built on less. Time to see if they can outrun the pack.
--Louis Pattison
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:MP3 Download
what an album, for a while the world has waited for something good to come out since the Stone Roses, etc, in my opinion, the X X, the Horrors and now TRIBES all are part of WHAT THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR.... going to see them in concert soon as they are just so damn good, what an album !!!!!
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
3.5 stars
What is the greatest debut album ever? Cases can be made for The Stone Roses debut, The Band's "Music from the Big Pink", Television's "Marquee Moon", Jeff Buckley's "Grace", REM's "Murmur" and obviously "The Velvet Underground and Nico". Others that have been placed in this heady company have faired less well with the passage of time. The Arctic Monkeys debut doesn't look quite as seminal as it did upon release, Oasis's "Definitely Maybe" rarely escapes the CD rack nowadays and if Radiohead's "Pablo Honey" tends to get worn out its solely from the repeat playing of "Creep" (although much better was to follow).
This discussion is interesting because some of the hype around this debut by Camden four piece Tribes has seen it lauded in certain quarters as a potential entrée to the exclusive list above. The obvious point to make is while "Baby" is good it's not that good. Tribes USP is to take some of the grunge influences of bands like Nirvana and the Pixies and fuse them with the glam rock of Suede or T Rex. When the combination works it's a dynamic and impressive mix. "We were children" for example is a powerful crunchy rock song which starts with a Black Francis "Where is my mind" style riff and a huge chorus refrain of "Oh no stranger you're just like me/These things happen we were children in the mid 90's"(although the decision of the band to record the video for this on a London high street rooftop??). Equally "Sappho" is laden with energy and massive power chords that suggests the homework on Nirvana has been properly done. Ironically when the band slow it down a little they are at their best with "A corner of a English field" one of the strongest songs on the album and dedicated to the very sad recent rock casualty Charlie Haddon. On the other hand the single "When my day comes" is formula rock of the Shed Seven variety and exposes the weakness of Johnny Lloyd's vocals, while "Alone or with friends" sounds like a tired old piece of Brit pop. Compensation arrives in the form of the dramatic stadium rock anthem "Himalaya" where all the band dynamics come fully formed.
Great "white hope" guitar bands come and go and the battlefield is littered with casualties (remember Mona and Viva Brother?), indeed last years hype around the Vaccines does bear similarity to the "noise" on Tribes. Equally the furrow this band is plough is not unique, anyone who listens to acts like Surfer Blood or Wales's Joy Formidable will recognise recurring formulas. Yet to their credit Tribes have a bit more libertine swagger about them and its good to see ripped jeans, battered guitars and lots of attitude at the forefront of new music. Overall "Baby" is an album to place firmly in the glass half full bracket. True its is very derivative and you can play spot the influences for hours. But it is a confident and ebullient debut with a number of songs that are of premier division status. The trick now will be to the give the band some space and hopefully watch them grow into a more rounded and intriguing outfit. "Baby" has faults but it could also be the start of something good.
What is the greatest debut album ever? Cases can be made for The Stone Roses debut, The Band's "Music from the Big Pink", Television's "Marquee Moon", Jeff Buckley's "Grace", REM's "Murmur" and obviously "The Velvet Underground and Nico". Others that have been placed in this heady company have faired less well with the passage of time. The Arctic Monkeys debut doesn't look quite as seminal as it did upon release, Oasis's "Definitely Maybe" rarely escapes the CD rack nowadays and if Radiohead's "Pablo Honey" tends to get worn out its solely from the repeat playing of "Creep" (although much better was to follow).
This discussion is interesting because some of the hype around this debut by Camden four piece Tribes has seen it lauded in certain quarters as a potential entrée to the exclusive list above. The obvious point to make is while "Baby" is good it's not that good. Tribes USP is to take some of the grunge influences of bands like Nirvana and the Pixies and fuse them with the glam rock of Suede or T Rex. When the combination works it's a dynamic and impressive mix. "We were children" for example is a powerful crunchy rock song which starts with a Black Francis "Where is my mind" style riff and a huge chorus refrain of "Oh no stranger you're just like me/These things happen we were children in the mid 90's"(although the decision of the band to record the video for this on a London high street rooftop??). Equally "Sappho" is laden with energy and massive power chords that suggests the homework on Nirvana has been properly done. Ironically when the band slow it down a little they are at their best with "A corner of a English field" one of the strongest songs on the album and dedicated to the very sad recent rock casualty Charlie Haddon. On the other hand the single "When my day comes" is formula rock of the Shed Seven variety and exposes the weakness of Johnny Lloyd's vocals, while "Alone or with friends" sounds like a tired old piece of Brit pop. Compensation arrives in the form of the dramatic stadium rock anthem "Himalaya" where all the band dynamics come fully formed.
Great "white hope" guitar bands come and go and the battlefield is littered with casualties (remember Mona and Viva Brother?), indeed last years hype around the Vaccines does bear similarity to the "noise" on Tribes. Equally the furrow this band is plough is not unique, anyone who listens to acts like Surfer Blood or Wales's Joy Formidable will recognise recurring formulas. Yet to their credit Tribes have a bit more libertine swagger about them and its good to see ripped jeans, battered guitars and lots of attitude at the forefront of new music. Overall "Baby" is an album to place firmly in the glass half full bracket. True its is very derivative and you can play spot the influences for hours. But it is a confident and ebullient debut with a number of songs that are of premier division status. The trick now will be to the give the band some space and hopefully watch them grow into a more rounded and intriguing outfit. "Baby" has faults but it could also be the start of something good.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:MP3 Download
I bought this album last week ,knowing absolutely nothing about the band or their music.I have to say its the best punt i have made in many a day. I am of eclectic tastes in music and of a certain age. Ok I saw the Undertones live as a young boy! Yep that old. But to get back to the album. This is the best album i have heard in many a year ,with songs that just wont get out of your head. Of recent bands Muse are by far the best I have come across (Wembley Sept 2010)this group may very well have the talent to go all the way. Yes there's bit of Jarvis and Marc in the mix ,but what a mix (oh yes and Suede )! Going to see if i can get tickets to see them in Norwich in February. Hope that they dont go the same way as JJ72 . Another group that should still be up there with Muse and the rest.
Have just sent my 18 year old to listen to the album .Let's see what he thinks of it. Finding it difficult to chose a favourite track at the moment.
Great stuff , Thank you Tribes for making the musical blood run once more through my veins .
Have just sent my 18 year old to listen to the album .Let's see what he thinks of it. Finding it difficult to chose a favourite track at the moment.
Great stuff , Thank you Tribes for making the musical blood run once more through my veins .
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not very good
I had a read a few positive reviews about this album, but if you like adventurous music that holds its own over a long period of time then this is not for you; if you like... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Supernewtent
You What!?
I am amazed by the amount of gushing reviews I have seen for this band. It was these reviews that foolishly led me to buy the album without hearing it first. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Don Swan
Tribes "BABY" review
Absolutely fantastic debut album from Tribes. This album has a great mixture of styles complimented by simple but brilliant playing with some instantly likeable sing along... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Morgan
Great
A great album! The songs 'Sappho' and 'we were children' are especially good, would definately recommend buying! Read more
Published 3 months ago by Patchofbaldness
Kick ass
This is kick ass rock/punk/pop/indie what ever you want to call it. A brilliant record. A good vibe to this, loads of energy, and no fillers it's just a shame that real instrument... Read more
Published 3 months ago by T Bone
If Lita Ford and Bret Michaels Ever got Married, these guys would be...
Just bought this afternoon. I listened to it on the ride home, at the gym, and have been bouncing on the couch all night (much to the chagrin of my wife who is trying to watch TV). Read more
Published 3 months ago by Joel Malley
"Road kill, makes my guts spill"
Without doubt the finest debut album in over a decade. The Stone Roses, The Clash, The Tribes are up there with the greatest - an intellectual trip with acerbic wit, you will not... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Michael Kaye
All killers with no fillers.
What a great album, I bought it today and have played it over & over. A great debut album and I bet it sounds just as good live. Read more
Published 4 months ago by G Marsh
Fantastic from Start to Finish
Love it. Cannot stop listening to it. Grungy with heavy guitars but eminently listenable, all the songs are catchy without being too poppy! Strongly recommend it!
Published 4 months ago by tdoggcratch
A Very Grown Up Baby
We have been waiting for this album for more than the normal nine months and baby wasn't it worth the wait! Read more
Published 4 months ago by I know what i like
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