Search - Babes In Toyland :: Nemesisters

Jessica G. (Jessie) from GLENOLDEN, PA
Reviewed on 6/21/2007...

Riot Girl band from the early 90s; hard punk sound

Lauri Jean C. from PINCKNEY, MI
Reviewed on 8/8/2006...

Rocks.

The Babes are back in a more Melodic effort

Sean B. Mccarthy | Albuquerque, NM | 12/22/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Babes in Toyland have always been an angry high-energy riot grrl punk band, utilizing thier duelly raw guitar sounds, Lori Barbero's powerful druming and Bjelland's forceful "don't screw with me!" voice. For their last album, these grrls dropped the anger down a notch and directed it into a new sound. Tracks like "Hello" and "Killer on the Road" have a grungier sound to them, while "Oh Yeah" reminds me of the Fontanelle days. What clearly appears to be the strongest element on this album, is the more soft-spoken near-harmonic level of Kat Bjelland's singing. The anger and energy is still present in "Sweet '69" but "Surd" and "Ariel" sound like lullabies in comparison. Nemesisters is one of those albums that reveals a group's ability to have a different sound and still rock."

Vintage Grr

W. Heyser | 01/02/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"For those of you who know the song "All By Myself," from Eric Carmen, you can just skip this. For those of you who don't, the song "All By Myself," which is featured on this (excellent) album is a cover of a song which was recorded a long time ago by a weenie. Yes, I know, that's harsh, but whether you liked it or not, Eric Carmen was a weenie. The original is the epitome of whining alone-ness, but it's definitely too sissy to be angsty.

Then there was Babes In Toyland's version, which is not, as some reviewers would have you believe, a poor recording or a lack of effort on the part of the band. The song needs to have the crap kicked out of it in order to both express the actual emotions of the song (whining angst, not loneliness) and to be terribly ironic. I'm not saying that Babes In Toyland are the next Beethoven, but this treatment of the song is deeply ironic. So when it all goes to pot at the end, it's intentional. Completely. And if you can't grasp that concept, just think of it as feedback at the end of a song.

The rest of the album has been appropriately reviewed elsewhere, but you should buy this album, if only for the various covers. That is, unless you liked Eric Carmen, in which case, you should really consider what you're doing."