There's nothing that matches the raw emotion, power, and excitement of seeing a band live. The tiny nuances of drunken people screaming during all the great crescendos (and usually, right into your ear), the smell of sweat, beer, and smoke -- it all makes for one hell of a showcase. But how do you capture this on disc? This is the challenge that most bands endure when trying to tackle their own live albums, but in the case of Bibidi Babidi Boo, Deerhoof has managed to capture the energy and ferocity of their live shows in a nice and neat 26 minute, 12-track set.
Being the tightest, quirkiest, or prettiest band isn't Deerhoof's concern, yet these qualities shine brightest throughout Bibidi Babidi Boo. It's the band's shortcomings that have endeared fans to their brand of no-nonsense experimental pop for years, and it's fed to you by the mouthful on this release. The live versions may not be exact duplicates of what was set in stone on prior studio albums, but the little mistakes and curveballs are what carry this collection of live tidbits to its ultimate fruition. Not one track stands out of the bunch as being a great track or able to capture your attention beyond mild curiosity, but the set as a whole is cohesive and blunt. Taking into consideration that the album is an amalgam of random live performances culled from the past 3 years, it's amazing that the set has an ebb and flow uncharacteristic of most live discs chalked full of greatest hits and A&R favorites.
Fervor is a hard feeling to capture on a piece of plastic, but Bibidi Babidi Boo achieves this lofty goal with some pizzazz and ingenuity. It won't make many new fans for Deerhoof, but it does solidify them as a band with little limits, whether in the confines of a studio or the spontaneity of the stage.
1. Dummy Discards A Heart
2. Dog On The Sidewalk
3. Milking
4. Panda Panda Panda
5. Giga Dance
6. Desapareceré
7. Rainbow Silhouette Of The Milky Rain
8. Flower
9. The Forbidden Fruits
10. C
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