EP Review – Ride My Car by Baby Combat (2022) (self released)
Since 2018, Noel Yeo (Supersloth, Shelves) has been releasing music as Baby Combat. After the critical acclaim of his 12 album that gave a synopsis of the singles released in his first year, this Ride My Car EP seems to offer a similar stance with the best of his non-12 output joining the new title track, to offer a timely reminder about just how special this Portland-based artiste truly is.
Previously unreleased track Ride My Car assumes the chiming, fragile jangle-pop of the late 80s as it marries The Field Mice flutter to The Cure style vocals and production to take us on a perfect trip back through memory lane that is rarely offered by this act.
The remaining trip through the best of the recent rest commences with arguably Baby Combat’s best track ever in Tammy. All call in the dark, almost Billy Bragg-style vocal rawness, juxtaposed against chiming jangle-pop that has a lo-fi charm accompanying a Ducks Ltd nous for a jangle indie-rock riff, this track accompanies Invisible to offer the perfect examples of Yeo’s signature sound.
However the very best of this EP is heard in the superlative Hana Was A Wrestler. Initially released in July 2020, with additional vocals from Lost Weekend’s Rachel, this jangle inflected track has a slow burning intensity and storytelling emotionality akin to Fake Plastic Trees by Radiohead in its ‘big stories about little people’ appeal.
Certainly an act that is like to justify pressing as many follow buttons as you can find in 2023.
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