Wes Leavins might be a star of tomorrow, but in the best way possible, the driving force behind Chicago romantics Brigitte Calls Me Baby is also a product of the past. On the film noir-inspired sleeve of the band’s debut album, the frontman reclines under a spotlight, his lengthy shock of Brylcreemed hair effortlessly evoking the ghosts of stars long gone.
Seeking to bridge the gap between the ’50s, ’60s and modern day through his art, Leavins has been the first to admit the band and their impassioned throwback anthems are a product of influences far beyond the musical. Since their arrival last year, he’s been just as quick to name-check pin-ups like Marlon Brando and, unsurprisingly, Brigitte Bardot as the musical giants in his grandparents’ record collection.
It’s immediately apparent on the record’s title track ‘The Future Is Our Way Out’ that the band are thriving by channeling all those greats while adding their own stamp on things. Over a glimmering ’60s Roy Orbison guitar-line, Leavins pines extravagantly like a young Morrissey: “Oh, if life could only be so kind / Then I wouldn’t mind being alive.” He’s at the heart of the drama from the off.
As the frontman told NME recently, the band are hoping to find their own longevity with a sound that transcends time. “I think mostly if you convey something strong enough, it will find its audience, it’s all about feeling,” he said. They’ve succeeded here: a deep warmth and familiarity crackles throughout the record. Standout single ‘Eddie My Love’ is steeped in longing and romance, Leavins crooning like a third Everly Brother: “And if you get the time / Would you call me? / Would you call me?”
Despite its overarching nostalgia, ‘The Future Is Our Way Out’ also welcomes unexpected ideas. ‘Impressively Average’ carries the urgent guitar-driven gusto of The Vaccines or The Strokes while the darkened synth-pop of ‘We Were Never Alone’ summons the brooding mystique of Depeche Mode. ‘Too Easy’ is a welcome change of pace, leaning into an emotive synth-heavy sound that brings to mind fellow stateside retro revivalists Nation Of Language.
There’s an awful lot going on in ‘The Future Is Our Way Out’, but there’s a defiant abandon in the band’s delivery that makes it work as a whole. In having so much fun with their legendary touchstones, Brigitte Calls Me Baby have carved out a triumph of their own.
Details:
- Release Date: August 2, 2024
- Record Label: ATO Records