We spent quite some time with the idea that there would never be a new BABYFACE CLAN album, especially after Nasso and Charlie started their Imbeciles side project and took off for the misty Albion so many years ago.

Truth be told, even this turn of events wouldn’t be a bad one, since the band’s 2000 release was a milestone in modern Bulgarian music, comparable in quality and impact with Nova Generacia’s ‘Forever’ and Tamno’s self-titled debut. Yet, we knew well that the creative genius behind ‘Romantica’ could be put to use.

‘You’re Not Wearing Your Tie’ emerged some 13 years later, right at the end of 2013, when most local magazines and websites had already published their Albums of the year.

Thanks be to God, BABYFACE CLAN never really needed charts and articles but simply relied on being themselves – a bright sight, too bright indeed for the local non-existing music scene.

And since ‘You’re Not Wearing Your Tie’ isn’t their tired, revamped, media hyped ‘Chinese Democracy’ but rather the logical album number three in the Clan’s discography, it sounds just like a logical continuation of ‘Romantica’.

Same band, same irony, same punkish sarcasm, postpunk experimentation, rocknroll noise, keys, theatrics, Ruskov’s one-of-a-kind vocal approach, all these smaller and bigger elements that make up the band.

And since comparisons are always tempting, there you go – – ‘Magnifying Glass’ is the new ‘O:Mutuality’, while ‘Total Life Dissection’ is ‘The Wrinkles’, and ‘E-Misery’ sounds like ‘Hip Swindlers’. Of course, this is a bit of an overstatement – the tracks in ‘You’re Not Wearing Your Tie’ are original enough and don’t simply copy ‘Romantica’ but still, you need about 20 seconds of album opener ‘No Pressure’ to figure out you’re listening to BABYFACE CLAN.

Watch out for the melancholy moments (in ‘Lecher’, a track that shines with great music and lyrics), the punkish one (‘I Know All You) Whores’), Charlies trademark loud guitars (‘Classic’, ‘Bomb Filled Bouquets’, ‘E-Misery’) as well as Ruskov’s stupendous vocal performance – he shouts, he sings, he recites and screams, all quite effective.

‘You’re Not Wearing Your Tie’ is pure fun and rocknroll euphoria. And though we already inquire for the release date of the vinyl (the album is still only available online at babyfaceclan.bandcamp.com), the important thing at this very moment is to listen and listen. And listen good.