A whole album’s worth of heavenly harmonies combined blissful rhythmic sunniness might be too much for the human heart to take, so instead, Baby Birds Don’t Drink Milk opted for their new record, Kill the Fuzz, to be released as what Fire Talk refers to as a “mini album.” From its ominous beginnings, to its sped up mid-section, to its resolute close, the record is a meticulous and artful work of vocal and tonal brilliance. Doing exactly what the title implies, Baby Birds turn their back almost entirely on distortion, and trade up for tastefully soothing, vocally driven beauty.
Cold, bass-heavy ambient tones start album opener “I Aint Been Workin,” offset by high-pitched frequencies, hinting towards what might then be a dissonant noise track, as though to play a trick on us. But the tension is keenly broken with a drum-burst into the soft-strumming of a distant sounding guitar and liquid bass, leading up to the hovering, ghostly voices. The voices are impossibly human, continuing on the second track, and first single from the album, “Zebra Boy,” painting seamless pictures and leaving little trace of a brushstroke. The angelic singing doesn’t change much throughout, but the composition does, as the rhythm sections accelerate and the bass treble increases on “Okay Mr. Pancake” and “Bombchu Girl”. “Stacy’s Friend” and closer “Swift Rifle” slow the tempo down, taking their time to allow for a spiritual understanding of what’s been heard and conveyed.
Kill The Fuzz is out April 21 via Fire Talk. You can stream the whole record below, and read a Q&A with the band.
What was the recording process like? It’s said this was your first time in a proper studio, being at Silent Barn. Was it a live recording or did you do it individually?
We recorded it live but we played our instruments individually.
Your vocals seem almost choir-like in nature, incredibly layered, almost synthetic sounding. Could you describe your approach to writing vocal parts? To recording them?
We stay up real late. Josh says choirs are “very inspirational”.
The title Kill the Fuzz seems to correlate nicely with a lot of the sound on this record, though it kind of pops up on “Bombchu Girl.” Was there a conscious effort to stay away from distortion?
No.
Six songs seem to go by kind of quick. Fire Talk even refers to this as a “brand new Mini Album.” Was there a reason you kept it so short and sweet?
We didn’t have enough money to make it longer. The band ate trash for a year and a half then we met up and made these songs.
What other artists do you like working with? Where do you think BBDDM fits into in the music world?
Good question!
What’s next for BBDDM?
Drew might get an iPhone
