Backyard Babies
Live In Paris

Once again, I find myself listening to the "Live in Paris" by Backyard Babies. It always happens for two reasons: firstly, I try to convince myself that Scandinavia is not just a land of metal and proto-metal bands. And then, well, this "Live In Paris" is truly captivating. The live performances of this band are absolutely indisputable. Their discography, while based on strong foundations like "Total 13", alternates between highs and lows, but with this Live, they surely reach their highest peak of quality. Live, these four Swedes make their songs truly special, so much so (to quell your potential doubts, let me remind you) that the Backyard was chosen by Social Distortion to open their Tour dates in 2005.

The setlist of the Live draws from some of the best tracks in their entire discography (up to 2004). Particularly noteworthy for those who want to listen to the album for the first time are "Heaven 2.9", "A Song For The Outcast", and "The Clash", which form the central backbone of the work and allow one to understand how explosive the band's live performances can be. A drum always "pounded" but punctual, two guitars not too distorted and with always recognizable evolutions, and a bass line used to the fullest distinguish their music. The lyrics deal with the "classic" Punkrock themes, love, death, and social criticism. Nothing new in this respect, but the songs are nevertheless not trivial and remain "fresh" even after numerous listens.

I highly recommend purchasing or at least listening to this album; it is truly necessary to understand how far the qualities of a band can push beyond the limits in front of their audience.