Hey Babe (1992)
Juliana Hatfield
- Everybody Loves Me But You
- Lost and Saved
- I See You
- The Lights
- Nirvana
- Forever Baby
- Ugly
- No Outlet
- Quit
- Get Off Your Knees
- No Answer
;)
The debut solo album.
In 1992, the Blake Babies were slowly coming to and end. John and Freda had moved away from Boston, Freda had missed the European tour due to illness and, ahem, “musical differences” were emerging (Juliana’s cites that her enthusiasm for Wilson Phillips was not universally shared in the Babies’ tourbus!). Whilst the band were still officially together, Juliana was starting to emerge as an artist in her own right and this album was put out with the band seemingly on hiatus.
Juliana was brought to many peoples’ attention in Europe by the English music press, who had belatedly picked up on the Blake Babies and it helped her profile that she had contributed to the Lemonheads breakthrough album “It’s A Shame About Ray”, released around the same time.
Despite Juliana’s dismissive comments in later years, Hey Babe remains a landmark album.
The opener, Everybody Loves Me But You still sounds as fresh today and remains a live favourite. A perfect indie guitar pop moment from the opening bars and as a “debut” pop single one of the best.
;)
The rest of the album may fail to live up to the majesty of the opener but there are enough gems to satisfy. Second single I See You is similar in lyrical and musical style to the work of the Blake Babies (it would fit quite easily as a song on Earwig). Nirvana (re-recorded having previously been available on the last Blake Babies record) describes how hearing a song can break your mood and for a moment, give you an adrenaline rush, where nothing else in the world matters. The lyrics fit perfectly with the uplifting chorus and yes there are times when we all want to go and “fuck shit up”.
Guitar licks and instrumental breaks litter the album with touches of extended feedback to offer a hint of what was to come with the Only Everything album.
Select review - September 1992
Vox review - September 1992
Q review October 1992
;)
Boston Phoenix review (click to enlarge);)
Mammoth Records press release (click to enlarge)