Recorded in the summer of 2009, My Name and The War were two of the first songs ever written and recorded by The Babies. With the 7 inch single due to be released on Record Store Day, April 21st 2012, and digital single to follow on Monday 23rd April, this will be the first official release of these two songs. Capturing the band’s raw energy and honest, direct sound, the single also marks the first 7 inch release for fledging UK label, Bad Paintings.

Indebted to classic 60s songwriting and garage rock by the likes of The Creation, this single shows The Babies at their most open and organic. Sounding like Nancy and Lee singing on Surfer Rosa, the melodies wouldn’t be out of place on a Shangri-Las record. This is the edge of Wild Gift era X – pop without a hint of twee.

Having heard the two songs on a bootlegged early live recording, they became the favourites of Bad Paintings. As part of the Wrong Side of the River collective, the label’s founders helped organise a show for The Babies at their DIY event in York, UK. “I had honestly forgotten about The War and My Name until we were playing in York and the crowd requested we play them,” commented Kevin Morby (of The Babies and Woods), “it was such a pleasant blast from the past.”

He went on to say, “At some of our very first shows we always opened up with these tunes. They were both recorded in the same sessions as Meet Me In The City and All Things Come To Pass, but for some reason never had any release outside of a tour tape we made in 2010.”

“I’m glad that now they have found a home with Bad Paintings 3 years later!”

The single features My Name on the A side, a paean to youth and growing up, and The War on the B side, a song about confusion and helplessness. It’s a must for fans of The Babies, as well as related bands Woods and Vivian Girls – as Kevin put it, “although the songs may not be the best representation of the bands current sound, it definitely shows some of our deepest roots.”

The Babies are expected to release a second album during 2012, followed by an extensive tour, to include the UK and Europe.