Search - Cry Baby Cry :: Jesus Loves Stacey

The future of art/garage/punk

M. Jason | Northern California | 02/22/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"On Jesus Loves Stacey, their full length debut, Washington, DC quartet Cry Baby Cry proffer their vision of art/garage/punk's future. And I'm pleased to report that the forecast looks good.    So... art/garage/punk? Made it up, but think Chairs Missing by Wired or Easter Everywhere by 13th Floor Elevators; or an unholy four-way union of The Residents, T-Rex, The Damned, and X, but better.    Cry Baby Cry used to be known as The Blisters--till they learned the name had been scapped up a decade before. They self released an eponymous EP and then hooked up with producer J Robbins and with tiny DC indie Skoda Records--a label that specializes in Czech psychedelia--for the new album. Jesus Loves Stacey came out with limited distribution in September 2001, and with the help of Ian MacKaye's Dischord Records became available online and in US retail chains in January 2002.    Across the 14 tracks of Jesus Loves Stacy (plus two unlisted bonus tracks), CBC somehow walk that most difficult of musical tightropes, balancing the extreme visceral pump of acts like The Make-Up and The Hives with the sort of cerebral explorations you might expect from Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 or avant-garde jazz composer/vocalist Karen Mantler. Strangely, the concoction works and neither aspect suffers.    Each song on the new set is a city unto itself, encompassing more musical topology than an entire, lesser neo-psych album. As with the subversively complex music of Frank Black, it takes many listens to grasp and appreciate the structure of a Cry Baby Cry song. But, despite the sometimes daunting complexity, the bottom line is that these songs rock!    The band are James Mitchell Brady (vocals, keyboards, accordian; previously in Trusty), Kathleen Ann Cashel (vocals, guitar, keyboards; previously in Conveyers of Pain and Norman Mayer Group, and plays solo acoustic sets), Andrew Clowe Sutter (bass, keyboards; previously in lonnieclare), Jennifer 'Chicago' Lynne Thomas (drums; previously in Conveyers Of Pain and Betsy The Sniper).    If ever there was a young band deserving of tons more hype than they're getting, Cry Baby Cry are it. Get their album. John Peel take note. (Review originally appeared on Rockbites.org)"

One of the Best Bands Out There

Megan | New York, NY | 01/20/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One day last winter, I wandered into Kim's Video on St. Mark's place, looking for new music to grace my Discman. This album caught my attention because of its gorgeous cover art and its low price. On a whim, I purchased it. It is one of my favorite cds.
Cry Baby Cry is original, thoughtful, and inspiring. The lyrics are clever, some deep and some light-hearted, all poetic. The beats are worthy of being put on to relax at home and being listened to while out jogging. There is not one song on the cd worth skipping."

Almost too great for words

Megan | 08/27/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Im not from DC, so the only way I found out about this band was on the net. I went to the site and listened to some of their stuff and it was great. The album as a whole just fits well. Their sound is something new and different from all the nu garage punk that is popular of late. The title track just blows me away...worth the money and more"