Review: Total Babes – Heydays

National Music Reviews

Total-Babes-Heydays album coverTotal Babes
Heydays

Witchita Recordings
Street: 05.19
Total Babes = Cloud Nothings + Real Estate

Ohio-based Total Babes are actually a side project of Jayson Gerycz, drummer for Coachella alums Cloud Nothings, used as an outlet for pop-punk songs that did not quite fit into the Cloud Nothings aesthetic. That being said, Total Babes certainly seem to have their own independent following and distinct sound. However, Heydays lacks cohesiveness, going from “We’ll Come Around,” a noise rock track that has Cloud Nothings written all over it, to “Sunny Side,” a piano interlude, to “Repeat Gold,” a softer, lyrical piece that lacks the pop punk sensibilities of the earlier tracks. Heydays is enjoyable, but it feels like a collection of B-sides rather than a complete album. –Ali Shimkus