Nemesisters
Nemesisters is the third and final studio album recorded by Babes in Toyland. It was produced by Tim Mac, and released May 9, 1995, by Reprise Records.
| Nemesisters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 9, 1995[1] | |||
| Recorded | Late 1994–early 1995 | |||
| Studio | AmRep Studios, Minneapolis, Minnesota | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 55:54 | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Producer | Tim Mac | |||
| Babes in Toyland chronology | ||||
| ||||
Recording
The album was recorded under engineer and producer Tim Mac at AmRep Studios in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[2] 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.[2] The recordings were split into two different sessions.[2] Portions of the album had been written while the band was on tour in Europe.[2] In a March 1995 interview with Barbero, she said the band would likely "be working on the album until Christmas."[2]
Critical response
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Chicago Tribune | [3] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B[4] |
| Rolling Stone | [5] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [6] |
| Spin | 4/10[7] |
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."[7]
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic noted: "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."[1]
Track listing
All 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
- Kat Bjelland – guitar, vocals
- Maureen Herman – bass, vocals (8), piano (12)
- Lori Barbero – drums, vocals (3, 8, 9, 13)
Chart positions
| Year | Single | Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Sweet '69" | Modern Rock Tracks | 37 |
| "We Are Family" | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 22 |
References
- "Nemesisters - Babes in Toyland". AllMusic. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
- "Babes in Toyland Tosses Some Covers for Reprise Set". Billboard. March 18, 1995. pp. 14, 21 – via Google Books.
- Hollingsworth, Chauncey (1995-05-25). "Babes In Toyland Nemesisters". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
- Sinclair, Tom (April 28, 1995). "Nemesisters Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
- 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.
- Ali, Lorraine (May 1995). "Babes in Toyland: Nemesisters". Spin: 95 – via Google Books.