Brigitte Calls Me Baby

If every generation needs its big romantic crooner, Chicago based Brigitte Calls Me Baby volunteers for the role with no reservations whatsoever. The band is led by a remarkable vocalist and songwriter in Wes Leavins, who has the Roy Orbison meets Morrisey with a dash of Elvis Presley angle covered completely. Their 2024 debut album The Future Is Our Way Out plays like an unabashed love letter to the romantic tradition in rock/pop spanning across ages, though with a very particular home to return to. References to The Smiths are fairly overt in their music, including their use of the guitar jangle and the way Leavins moans, soars, and circles around certain phrases with a similar cadence. What allows them to pull their own weight is the abundance of creative sparks in their songs, plus their clear execution and that persistent early rock'n roll feel that they never stray from.