Back in 1980, at a time when the power pop world was dominated by bands in skinny ties and with names like The Pop and The Look, The Bablers released their debut LP ‘What’s It All About’. The record’s stand out track ‘Imaginary Land’, with its stabbed piano motifs and infectious wordless hook, they sounded like a cross between XTC and Nick Lowe with a Scandinavian accent. ‘What Can I Do’ showed a knack for harmony vocals on something that could’ve been a Hollies deep cut from ’75, and seemingly not caring for fashion, ‘McKinley’s Birthday Party’ applied a McCartney-esque rumpty-tumpty rhythm to a pop tune that sounded at least five years out of date at the time of release. You couldn’t ever call it a perfect album, but at its best, it showed a band with spirit, and one capable of sometimes delivering a great tune, even if the vocals weren’t as sharp as the material deserved.

The band then seemed to disappear, eventually returning with a belated follow up, ‘Like The First Time’, some eighteen years later. Whilst not quite in the Linda Perhacs league of “extended holidays”, you’d have to wonder why a fresh start with a new name hadn’t been considered. Since it would then take The Bablers another two decades to deliver a third record, presumably the band name carried some nostalgic currency in Finland, even if they’d not really made a huge impact on the power pop world elsewhere…

Originally released in Japan in 1998 and gaining a domestic release in Finland at the turn of the millennium, ‘Like The First Time’ presents fourteen retro pop numbers that make the band’s best tunes sound like the missing link between Badfinger, The Raspberries and the more contemporary yet retro sounds shared by acts from Australia’s Pop Boomerang label. Remixed and reworked for a long overdue international release in 2025, at its best, it’s the kind of album a lot of power pop fans will love – and regardless of any tweaking and revisionism to which the reissue may have been subjected, its finest tracks hold up very well.

An instant stand out, ‘One of Those Dreams’ opens with a wall of chiming guitars, as if the band are about to break into an old 60s classic like ‘When You Walk In The Room’, before delving even deeper into a world of pastiche, summoning a few Byrds-like licks within a framework that exists in a Beatles soaked atmosphere. The harmony vocals are pleasingly tight throughout, but what really works here is the overall simplicity; the chorus hook, where those harmonies really shine, sounds like something discovered on one of the era’s many unsuccessful pop singles. Equally strong, the slow ‘Sometimes’ is a pitch perfect Jeff Lynne tribute, musically sounding like something tucked away on ELO’s ‘Eldorado’ (without the distinctive vocals) crossed with the moody ‘Someplace Else’ from George Harrison’s essential, career-saving ‘Cloud Nine’. The fact that it lacks originality really doesn’t matter; the very knowing approach is what makes it work, even without an immediate lyrical hook. The lilting title cut also comes cut from a very recognisable ELO blueprint but, as before, The Bablers gift for an obvious homage results in something very enjoyable. Whilst the wavering guitar lines provide the most distinctive feature here, a soaring vocal adds a great melody throughout, and the track’s first guitar solo is a near perfect tribute to George Harrison. When all of the borrowed elements are put together, of course, it becomes “top tier Bablers”, and very much in the timeless mould. Another Jeff Lynne inspired tune, ‘Mr. King’, isn’t quite as sharp, but for lovers of the style, the number’s easy blend of Lennon-esque piano lines and ELO tinged chorus will definitely appeal, predictable as the end result might be.

On a more upbeat tip, ‘Here I Come’ delivers some really fun jangle pop, where even bigger chiming guitars are occasionally intercut by cheeky riffs on a bridge that hits the listener with a quirky riff that sounds like a nod to Roy Orbison’s ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’. Oddly, there’s something about this track that has a faint echo of Al Stewart in an untypically perky mood, and its sharper edges definitely bring out the very best in this band’s musical talents and even the accented vocal suits the melody in hand. Another bright and breezy number, ‘Think of You’ intersperses the more typical Bablers traits with a piano based riff that’s clearly inspired by Duane Eddy’s ‘Peter Gunn Theme’, giving The Bablers far more of a punch than any of their potential peers. In terms of re-appropriation, this is genuinely inspired. Dropping between the vocals, the riff appears to give the rhythm section an injection of energy, and in terms of showing off this band’s musical chops with genuine effectiveness for first time listeners, this is perfect – “borrowed” inspirations or otherwise.

In terms of borrowing, the band aren’t just about the old school power pop. There’s something about the guitar tone that powers ‘Could It Be You’ that’s vaguely reminiscent of the late 80s indie bands from Georgia and Boston, even when there are strong callbacks during the chorus that still convey a keen 60s flair. Those with a keener ear will hear some great playing driving this wholly retro vehicle, however: beneath the wall of chiming guitars, the bass work swoops and dives in an unexpectly complex fashion, and although the drums can seem somewhat crashy, their rhythmic punch is superb.

‘Holding Me Tight Tonight’ shares perfect jangle pop, sounding like an old Raspberries tune reworked via a Scandinavian ear. All cowbell and shimmering melodies, the mid 70s AM radio vibe is very cool, even before a nod to the evil Phil Spector increases the retro mood, and a lead guitar occasionally drops in with an unexpected country lilt. Elsewhere, ‘You Are The One For Me’ carries a faint air of Fotomaker’s ‘Where Have You Been All My Life’ in its opening melody, before branching out to become a little more of its own thing. Though by no means particularly original, it’s another number that shows how The Bablers are great musicians: the guitars ring out with a pleasing clarity throughout, the harmony vocals are loaded with a well-pitched power pop coolness, and eventually, something that could’ve sounded generic swells with a confident air that makes this one of the band’s best tracks to date. In relation to the bulk of this album, ‘That Little Something’ takes a little longer to appreciate. The band cast aside their chiming guitars for more of a 90s pop sound, and although the buoyant rhythm is pleasant enough, the track comes across as a little cheesy. It’s occasionally like an old Farrah piece without the instant hook, or something the Carrack era Squeeze haven’t quite finished. The organ playing is nice enough, and the jazz tinged guitar lends the album a pleasing curveball, but the slightly stripped down sound highlights a couple of vocal limitations. Time spent will eventually uncover a tune that isn’t quite as average as the first listen suggests, and it’s always good to know that The Bablers can turn their hand to slightly different sounds, even if the results are less than perfect.

There’s only one proper misfire within this album’s fourteen tracks, and that dubious honour goes to the dreary ‘In This World’. Another attempt at something mid tempo in the Lynne/Lennon mould results in something that occasionally sounds too much like a miserable rehash of the already average ‘Mind Games’, and the fact that this dull homage is pulled mercilessly across five and a half minutes makes something rather flat appear even more boring. Thankfully, this is offset by the lovely ‘Where The Wind Blows Free’, which has faint echoes of Thunderclap Newman’s ‘Something In The Air’ within the chord structure, and shows this band to be one of great taste. Since the familiar melody is offset by great strings paying tribute to a very British brand of chamber pop, the track feels suitably different enough to stand on its own, and has a mournful quality that actually works. Factor in an equally soft vocal, and this slow burning piece provides an often enjoyable record with a beautifully pitched swan song, and a track that all lovers of decent retro pop should hear.

The strong Scandinavian accent is still very much in place – and that could be make or break for some listeners – but this record shows how this now veteran band have an affinity with a good hook, and an ability to weave a decent tune. It also acts as a reminder that no matter how many years had passed since the release of ‘What It’s All About’, The Bablers cared not a jot for any musical fashion or following a trend in the late 90s. At over fifty minutes, the album is a little too long – and this is especially obvious when its remixed release from Big Stir Records came at a time when most people have scaled things back to a vinyl-friendly forty minutes or under – but for the power pop fan looking to dig a little deeper for their musical enjoyment, ‘Like The First Time’ offers enough decent tunes to be cherry-picked.

May 2025