Customer Reviews

Stockholm Syndrome

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ok Backyard Babies have not put out a bad CD yet and this proves it this CD is awsome. I listen to it all the time it's spinning in my stereo right now. This just proves that America can't do music right so we have to count on Sweden. Also the song Friends is amazing it is one of the coolest songs ever. So get this CD and if you like them check out Hardcore Superstar another awsome Swedish band.

Backyard Babies started out as European punks who never cared much for the English and American rules of punk minimalism. They were never afraid to create a huge heavy sound by mixing in metal, glam, power pop, and roots rock. This worked stupendously on their album *Total 13* (1998), a lost masterpiece for the ages. Things faltered a bit on the following album, *Making Enemies Is Good* (2001), which showed a worrisome fetish for arena rock. That successful fusion of styles has broken down almost completely on this album, and it appears that the band is having trouble deciding what they want to be. Instead of that huge Babies sound, we get poorly designed riffs, predictable songwriting, and awkward stylistic changes. Some songs that can almost (but not quite) surpass those difficulties include "Earn the Crown," "A Song for the Outcast," and the intriguingly sinister "One Sound."

But otherwise, most of the music on this album just doesn't work at the fundamental level. For example, "Pigs for Swine" keeps switching awkwardly between the doom metal of Black Sabbath and the street boogie of Aerosmith, while "You Tell Me You Love Me You Lie" sounds like an early-80s Def Leppard outtake. The band hits an all-time low on the atrocious "Friends," a community project that shouldn't have graduated the songwriting process. Backyard Babies are still one of the most talented and solid bands on the rock scene today, and their brilliance still pops up in places on this album. From past experience we know they're capable of tremendous things. Hopefully next time they'll try to be themselves, rather than everybody else. (...)

Being a fan of the last couple Backyard Babies CDs I had high hopes for this one, and I was not disappointed. This is probably their most consistant album to date. While not as punk sounding at Total 13, this is still good edgy rock while still having melody. There is also not the variance of styles like on Making Enemy (from I Love to Roll & Painkiller). Each of their albums has its own feel and that is part of Backyard Babies strength.

The disc opens up with Everybody Ready!, a very stong energy rush song to get you hooked. From there is goes into a string of songs that could all easily be singles (I think two of them are) - Earn the Crown, Song for the Outcast & Minus Celcius. All of these are driving anthemic songs that would sound great live in a small or large venue. Things then start shifting a bit in sound. Pigs for Swine is a highly melodic rocker and is the catchiest tune thus far in the album. One Sound is the slowest song on the disc & is reminisant of early Jane's Addiction. Say When (my favorite at this time) sounds like pop punk done right - very upbeat, melodic, short & to the point, yet unlike most pop punk these guys can play their instrument with great proficency & the song doesn't sound like every one else out there. The remainder of the album keeps up the quality displayed throughout the CD. The odd track on here though is Friends which has Nicke only singing in the chorus, it is filled with bits from the likes of Tyla, Michael Monroe & Joey Ramone. The song is interesting & it is nice to hear all of the people they have on there.

This is one of the best CDs I have heard in quite a while. If you are wanting good straight ahead rock this would be an excellent purchase. Scandanavia is putting out most of the best American rock out there - Hellacopters, Flaming Sideburns, Hardcore Superstar & of course, The Backyard Babies.

This time, Backyard Babies have polished their dirty rock approach and "Stockholm syndrome" is a very melodic effort. There are plenty of hooks and catchy choruses but it's still solid rock with a lot a bad boy attitude. If you like The Hellacopters' "High visibility" and "By the grace of God", I can assure that you'll also take this album under your wings. Many of the songs have the potential of becoming hits, and the material is very attractive from the beginning to the end. Since you've come this far, maybe you should check out Mustach and their fine effort "Rat safari". Just a tip!

I tend to disagree with the above reviewer in that i belive this album to be punkier than its predecessor, 2001's Making Enemies is Good. I love the previous album, Heaven 2.9, Painkiller and the single 'Brand New Hate' being favourites.
The new album, however, reminds me of punk bands such as Bad Religion more than Bon Jovi, it's kinda more down to earth, head down-and-get-the-job-done album, and all the better for it, i believe, pluis there's a guest vocal from the late, great Joey Ramone!!!

I belive 'Earn the Crown' would be a better choice than 'Minus Celcius' for the first single.

Well, the Backyard Babies! They changed image and style as often a chameleons change colour! Diesel and Power, the first step in the business, pure Guns'n Roses - Fake, Total 13, the pure punk'n roll-bastard and their only real masterpiece, Making Enemies the first little step in the stadium-rock direction with more glam and less aggressive guitars and. And with Stockholm Syndrome they finished their metamorphosis. The sound is a mixture of Hanoi Rocks, Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi ( sorry Dudes, but it's it!!! ), and....yeah, and of some Backyard Babies as well. In my case it took about 10 times of total listening, till I found the first likeable pieces of Rock in there. At first I was totally shocked, that they did the stadium-rock thing again, bonus tracks like P.O.P. ( Making Enemies ) had been the first prophets for. One thing's for sure: The punk'n roll decade is over. Now it's time to earn the crown of rock, but I'm nearly sure that the Backyard Babies will never be as famous as Turbonegro or the Hellacopters!!!! There has to be more punkrock again. Because punkrockers don't like Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe!!!! But anyway, Stockholm Syndrome is a good record, it's just different from the good old stuff and hard to take at the first steps. But if you are a rwal fan, then you will listen more than 10 times to it, I swear!!!!! I'm a Fan, and I like the album, but I can understand those who don't!