Baby in the 90s - An Honest Notice

Baby in the 90s

An Honest Notice
self-released; 2014

3.7 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

There were two things I liked right off the bat about Baby in the 90s. First off their name is awesome; the second thing is that one of the four members plays trumpet and just trumpet in the band. The band is comprised of Mookie Darden (vocals/guitar), Reed Dunaway (drums, Peter Luther (trumpet) and Aaron Ripp (bass) and they recently a five-song EP entitled An Honest Notice.

The music is pretty fantastic throughout. Darden has a great voice and their sound is an original mix of indie rock and LA noir. An Honest Notice has a lot to offer and that’s why I was a bit bummed out over the production. There is nothing wrong with using a lot of reverb but the music often sounded muddy with little separation. Everything seemed over-saturated in hall reverb making the band sound like they are playing at a far away distance. This caused the vocals to be too buried in the mix.

Luckily, this is the only real complaint I have because the songs themselves are quite enjoyable. An Honest Notice starts off strong with “Parasite,” which is an infectious, catchy song. Everything works here and that trumpet transformed the mood and feel of the music. I also need to point out the vocal melody that Darden delivers is on point and gets stuck in your head. “Insane” contains a chill, jazzy yet tranquil vibe that emits noir. It wasn’t quite as catchy as the opener but nonetheless it is an impressive track. 

“Rest, For The Ones I Love” relies on atmosphere and mood while omitting percussion. I was reminded of Deerhunter on this track. The two remaining tracks “Vivid” and “Marilyn, My Baby Girl” weren't quite as strong as the previous tracks but still notable efforts.

There is a lot to be excited about here. Baby in the 90s is just getting started and this debut has created a solid foundation that they easily can build upon and take it the next level. 

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