As if in an attempt to mirror the eclectic and ever changing Austin music scene, The Baker Family is hard to pin down in any single genre. At the offset you’d think they’re a Liars influenced dance punk band, but on their recordings the band jumps genre from track to track. Haunting folk music with intelligent electronic touches gives way to visceral bass and keg drum beating tracks. They’re hard to put in a category, which is one of the many reasons The Baker Family is one of the greatest additions to Austin. The band is wonderfully misleading even in their lyrics. A song which at one moment might be heartwarming will turn horrifying at the drop of a hat.
We haven’t even begun to touch on their live performances which are, frankly, incandescent. Their dance punk style is executed perfectly. Each member is a pure joy to watch perform. Too often indie bands don’t convey any sense of energy or, when they try to convey it, they do so by jumping around. But by this very action they seem to force the energy and come across as insincere. The Baker Family may be the epitome of the untrustworthy narrator, but you will get nothing but an honest and enthralling experience from seeing them live. – Taylor Browne