Baby Robots

10 Year High (Bunkhaus)

It’s no lie. Former Floridian locals Baby Robots reached a decade of swilling, schizophrenic jams, and they were definitely high the entire time. From the opening ambient confession of “Psychedelic Potential” to trippy closer “Should I Walk You to the Door,” the Robots hit rock, hip-hop, Devo-esque electronics, and Buddy Holly all with a dose of Boca Raton sunshine and a pinch of ass. The hourlong collection comprises 17 unreleased songs, two Austin newbies, 14 members, and one angry cat (H-Town shout-out “Baby Robots Screw Down”). The forest might be lost for the befuddled trees, but when some Sonic Youthian ode (“Pumpkin Head”), Nineties shoegaze (“Many Layers”), or Syd Barrett melancholy (“Late Night”) comes screaming out from the darkness, the leaves rustle. This is no easy listening, but as Bobby Baker tricks out everything just to test the limits of music as an art form, the Austin move makes perfect sense. ***

This article appears in November 16 • 2007.

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