FIFTY3FRIDAYS: YOU’RE GORGEOUS

It seems every band who had a reasonable hit or two in the past 50-odd years is finding it increasingly easy to come out of the woodwork, reform or reissue, or simply celebrate an anniversary. The cute ones then get to appear on The One Show, sell out their tour and get booked for a summer festival or two. This phenomenon appears to happen almost weekly and it is no surprise in that nostalgia is always in vogue. It may explain why boy bands of yore resurface with a brand-new album, once all the members have exhausted the raft of reality TV shows. Step forward, Blue. Can they still be called boy bands, though?

Conscious that I am rapidly veering off-piste, let me bring this back to what inspired the precursor to this week’s F3F. Actually, it was the 30th anniversary show announcement from Babybird; a band I once loved and probably still do. I have my copy of Ugly Beautiful to prove it. Under the aegis of Babybird, Stephen Jones is probably best known for the aforementioned 1996 album, although he has a truly staggering body of work on Bandcamp under both the Babybird moniker and several others. Stephen will be celebrating his 30 years of Babybird at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire in March; one comeback show I would not mind seeing. We will return to Babybird later today.

Photo of Rob Baker by Carol Keane

We’ll open today with a new name yet with one behind it that should be familiar to readers of this column. As helmsman of Dublin indie-pop five-piece, The Crayon Set, Robert Baker steered the band through 3 studio albums and an EP over the past 13 years, garnering widespread favour from music aficionados without perhaps the commercial success this deserved. The Crayon Set might be back in the box for now but it is pleasing to report that Rob is back with a new side project, accompanied by one of those band names you wished you’d thought of: Reluctant Bob & The Lonely Lovers.

When I first heard “Dreamager”, I wondered if it should be Whispering rather than Reluctant Bob, such are the softly muted tones employed by Mr Baker in this simply gorgeous slice of lo-fi dream pop. Surprisingly for such a lush, calm track, the song was recorded live with minimum overdubs during storms and floods at Black Mountain Studios, County Louth when simply making it to the studio was an epic adventure in itself, according to Rob. Employing his customary lyrical flow, Rob contemplates the other side of the ‘best years of your life’ dictum. Aided by the dream weavers of the Lonely Lovers (Mark Liepmann, Álvaro Martínez, George Guilfoyle), together they craft something beautiful that may turn us all into dreamagers. Humphrey the dog gets a credit too, though I hear no barking.

Photo of Stress Dolls by Peter Heuer

Chelsea O'Donnell aka Stress Dolls summarises her output as ‘angry girl music from Buffalo, NY’ and has extended the branding into her own imprint, Angry Girl Music. My first encounter with Stress Dolls, though, was a far more amiable one. Back in June, Chelsea’s song “Close Enough” was voted one of Fresh On The Net’s Fresh Faves. It was refreshing to hear a strong female rock vocal in the alto range which gives the song added bite while chiming guitars build atmosphere as she bemoans never being able to get quite close enough to someone. Just like it says on the tin.

“Close Enough” is from Stress Dolls’ 2025 debut album, Queen of No. The full record was actually put out a year earlier but last year, in truly independent fashion, Chelsea bought back her recordings and reissued the LP on her Angry Girl Music label. She recently shared another album track, the uptempo, chorus infectious “Alone.” Here her distinctive low tones come into play as she reflects on how much she would rather be alone when the alternative just brings anxiety with it. “At its core”, Chelsea explains, "Alone" is simply a bop about being an introvert.” Beyond that, questions are posed about why anyone would want to spend time with people or situations that cause anxiety.

A welcome email from Jacob Coley arrived in the Inbox recently. I remember Jacob and his band supporting the brilliant Barbara at the Half Moon, Putney in November 2024 and being suitably impressed by the alt-rock artist and his band too. His atmospheric songs with a dash of Ben Howard, Vampire Weekend and The War on Drugs in the mix really stood out on a first listen. Then living in Manchester, Jacob subsequently decamped to Cornwall where the coastal life has found its way into his music, giving it a relaxed and truly spacious feel.  

“Treading Water” is an expansive piece heralding a forthcoming EP from Jacob Coley, actually recorded in Devon rather than Cornwall. “It was a beautiful experience being fully-immersed in the countryside while recording the songs” Jacob commented. The song is the first co-written by Jacob with fellow guitarist Jack Boles and has featured as the closer at gigs whether played as a duo or with a full band. Its cathartic post-rock outro makes for a climactic sign-off. The recording features Mickey Smith (double bass) and Nat Wason (guitar) from Ben Howard's band, further endorsing the connection between Jacob and Ben Howard’s later work. It has a very slow build so have patience and muse on a personal tale with redemptive beauty woven into the song’s ebb and flow.

Staffordshire-based dream pop duo, Sonnen Blume, deeply impressed me with its 2025 debut album which I have highlighted previously in this column; so much so that I invited the pair to write a track-by-track commentary for us. If you haven’t caught up with it, you’ll find it here. Having originally found Sonnen Blume via Fresh On The Net, it was no surprise that the enigmatic twosome was back among the Fresh Faves last week with another track from the record, “Making Coffee.” The gauzy lead vocal over a relaxed backing track transports you to summer memories, prompted by the simple act of making coffee, channelling plenty of regret yet resolving things in a “more hopeful outro.” A refined and beautifully realised piece.

To close, it’s back to Babybird. Prompted by the upcoming 30^th anniversary gig, my final musing this week is on Babybird’s biggest hit single and probably the one older folk like me will remember or anyone who watched the film Saltburn might recall. “You’re Gorgeous” was a double-edged sword. The kind of song people would request at a wedding disco yet equally one that calls out the stereotypical image of an attractive model draped over a new car; imagery that belonged to the world of the fictional DCI, Gene Hunt. Not that he had been conceived when “You’re Gorgeous” was written but you get my drift. Anyhow I was obsessed with the simple yet gorgeous (sic) tune and made our covers band play it from time to time.

You can get the reissued album, Ugly Beautiful, on double vinyl and see Babybird at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London on 7 March. As an added bonus, the marvellous Paul Thomas Saunders is the support.