On the Turntable: “Broken Heart” by The Babys (1977)

On the Turntable: “Broken Heart” by The Babys, Chrysalis Records, 1977. Rating: 7/10. 

My mom had this record, I think. Or one of my sisters. Either way, I remember seeing this record when I was little and just being sort of obsessed with the cover portrait. And the group’s name. And the spelling of their name. I never listened to it, but I always tried to imagine what this record would sound like. I think I never listened to it because I liked the mystery of it. Whatever. I didn’t hear the Babys til much later. My first experience of John Waite was as a solo artist with songs like “Change” and “Missing You”. 

But I still think of this record, or at least its cover art, as sort of formative. And even after hearing and knowing and loving its songs, the questions posed by that cover portrait, the guys’ androgynous styling and confrontational collective gaze - what should I expect? what even are The Babys? - still stand. 

The sound isn’t as glam as the look, but it’s still pretty stylish. The guitars are crunchy and heavy and arena ready, but is there a single guitar solo here? The songs are tight but they feel bigger than power pop. There’s musicianship and ambition but only the slightest gesture towards art. There are strings and horns everywhere but it never feels overdone. And then there’s John Waite’s voice, tough and soulful but not macho or posturing. 

The band’s breakout hit arrives in the middle of Side 1: “Isn’t It Time” is a friggin four minute masterpiece and it has everything. A sensitive piano ballad opening, a steady build to a massive stomp of a chorus. Horns! Strings! And then: the Babettes! A trio of backup singers delivering the song’s most powerful hooks. That song alone is worth the price of the record. But it’s followed two songs later with the massive “The Golden Mile”.  The Babys knew their way around pop hooks but they were happy to take big swings. The entire first side of this album just feels and sounds great. Side 2 is a bit of a letdown by comparison, less triumphant and at times a little dour, but the Babettes come back for the lush ballad “Silver Dreams” and the album closes on a note of determination with “A Piece of the Action”.