24-7: Top 5 Local Releases of 1999
DLClive.com, January, 2000
24-7: Annette Lacey
5) BABY RAY - Do I Love America - Thirsty Ear
What can be said about Boston's Baby Ray that hasn't already glorified the band's status? Again one of the few bands that has climbed out of the garage rock scene in Beantown to earn national recognition and get signed to a supportive, nurturing label such as Thirsty Ear. The band's latest offering entitled Do I Love America carries on the fine musical shape that the group has developed over the years. Opening with a slew of tracks of pure pop magic, "Gossamer Riddle", "Something Crazy" and "Olive Novel Love" resonate in harmony the level of perfection the band has reached at crafting songs.
Baby Ray's instinctive style of creative track development is their strongest attribute. Not only does the band have a vocalist with charisma, but the instrumental portion of the music is the tie that binds their unit together. My favorite track is most definitely "Sheep Are My Keeper", an aggressive Husker Du/Sugar-esque offering that really rattles the mind, complemented by a wall of power-chord guitars and dueling bass and percussion sections. "Solid Gray" and "Wisdom of the Boondocks" maintain as well superb vocal performances, rounded off by powerful, hard-hitting guitar progressions and floating bass rhythms that mimic the clashing cymbals and driving percussion that echo long after the music has stopped.