A back-and-forth between the happiness and the uncertainty of relationships, “Baby Shakes” is an easy-going indie ode to instability.
Plotz’s single starts with an upbeat, breezy guitar part–the perfect intro to an alt-rock song-of-the-summer. What’s seemingly a cute and quirky love song devoted to a loved one so inspirational and aspirational to the singer that they’re an admiration quickly turns into something else.
Baby shakes you’re growing too fast
I caught you laughing at the scene of a crime
The chorus of Plotz’ catchy tune speaks of a very different relationship. Fearful and unclear and hopeless, there’s a feeling of helplessness when the ones you love are suffering, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Plotz contradict their groovy summer romance verses with a chorus full of woes and tribulations.
The lyrics summarize the music nicely. What’s initially a lightweight, bouncy melody grows heavier in the chorus, accented by a more prominent and pointed drum part. There’s a conversation happening between the singer’s melody and the lead guitar part which travels through the story of both relationships, expressing what he’s singing through music.
Most importantly, the song is fun to listen to.
Indie rock can take itself too seriously or be over-sung in such an outrageous manner you can’t understand the words. This song is in the clear. The rustic vocals of Plotz’s lead singer can show both joy and pain on the same track. His unique voice is nice to listen to. Backed by a tight band that keeps the groove moving forward across the whole song, “Baby Shakes” doesn’t get boring or sound overplayed by the end. It has enough distinct sections rotating throughout to make for a pleasant track that’s easygoing but interesting.
It’s also a fun take on the duality of love.
Which is kind of a heavy topic and not something I’d expect to be done on a such a pop-y single. If we’re lucky, we take part in so many different types of relationships all at once. It’s possible to be head-over-heels in love and devastated by tragedy at the same time. This gets complicated. Emotions are confusing and anything but exclusive. Balancing them all is no easy task. “Baby Shakes” highlights what it’s like to, simply put, be going through a lot right now.
We’re getting old
and no there’s no one looking in
Relationships also change over time, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. The song maintains an overall cheerful attitude (aided greatly by the sweet melodic guitar part). But it doesn’t shy away from darker feelings of stress and frustration. It recognizes the importance of feeling everything.
“Baby Shakes” is a twist on the indie love song.
Mashing together separate themes and emotions, it takes the idea of a love song and expands it into something else. A buoyant and carefree melody complements the unexpected hardship in the lyrics. The song is worth listening to if you like thought-provoking alternative music that’s still easy to sing along to.
