Nemesisters is the third and final studio album recorded by Babes in Toyland. It was produced by Tim Mac, and released in 1995 by Reprise Records.
Nemesisters | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1995 | |||
Recorded | Late 1994–early 1995 | |||
Studio | AmRep Studios, Minneapolis, Minnesota | |||
Genre | Heavy metal | |||
Length | 55:54 | |||
Label | Reprise | |||
Producer | Tim Mac | |||
Babes in Toyland chronology | ||||
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Recording
editThe album was recorded under engineer and producer Tim Mac at AmRep Studios in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[1] Unlike on the group's previous releases, they opted to record together to capture a "live band" sound; on their previous release, Fontanelle, bassist Maureen Herman had recorded her bass tracks separately from vocalist-guitarist Kat Bjelland and drummer Lori Barbero.[1] The recordings were split into two different sessions.[1] Portions of the album had been written while the band was on tour in Europe.[1] In a March 1995 interview with Barbero, she said the band would likely "be working on the album until Christmas."[1]
Critical response
editReview scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Chicago Tribune | [3] |
Entertainment Weekly | B[4] |
Kerrang! | [5] |
Rolling Stone | [6] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [7] |
Spin | 4/10[8] |
Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly wrote of the album: "Believe it or not, these Minneapolis ragecore queens have toned down their maximum-stridency shtick a tad, delivering an album that at times actually skirts power pop (check out "Sweet ’69"). The result is still fairly punishing, but there’s a reward for listeners who stick it out to the last cut: a killer version of Sister Sledge’s "We Are Family."[4] Lorraine Ali of Spin wrote: "With Nemesisters, Babes in Toyland's molten core seems to have somewhat solidified; this album ultimately lacks the conviction, depth, and even direction of its predecessors."[8]
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic noted that "most of the raw, slashing guitars of their early records are gone, replaced by a pulsing, plodding grind that never catches fire ... the majority of the album is simply dull, recycled riffs and rhythms, and that is hard to forgive."[2]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Babes in Toyland, except where noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Hello" | 4:45 | |
2. | "Oh Yeah!" | 3:16 | |
3. | "Drivin'" | 3:17 | |
4. | "Sweet '69" | 4:05 | |
5. | "Surd" | 4:43 | |
6. | "22" | 3:15 | |
7. | "Ariel" | 4:24 | |
8. | "Killer on the Road" | 4:02 | |
9. | "Middle Man" | 4:46 | |
10. | "Memory" | 3:43 | |
11. | "S.F.W." | 3:59 | |
12. | "All by Myself" | Eric Carmen | 4:37 |
13. | "Deep Song" |
| 2:45 |
14. | "We Are Family" | 4:11 |
Personnel
edit- Kat Bjelland – guitar, vocals
- Maureen Herman – bass, vocals (8), piano (12)
- Lori Barbero – drums, vocals (3, 8, 9, 13)
Chart positions
editYear | Single | Chart | Peak Position |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | "Sweet '69" | Modern Rock Tracks | 37 |
"We Are Family" | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 22 |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Babes in Toyland Tosses Some Covers for Reprise Set". Billboard. March 18, 1995. pp. 14, 21 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "Nemesisters - Babes in Toyland". AllMusic. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
- ^ Hollingsworth, Chauncey (1995-05-25). "Babes In Toyland Nemesisters". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
- ^ a b Sinclair, Tom (April 28, 1995). "Nemesisters Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
- ^ Watts, Chris (April 29, 1995). "Albumz". Kerrang!. No. 543. EMAP. p. 45.
- ^ Evans, Paul (June 1, 1995) [published February 2, 1998]. "Babes in Toyland: Nemesisters : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008-04-22. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
- ^ Brackett, Nathan; David Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-743-20169-8.
- ^ a b Ali, Lorraine (May 1995). "Babes in Toyland: Nemesisters". Spin: 95 – via Google Books.