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 | ||||
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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 | ||||
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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]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
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: "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]
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 |
Year | Single | Chart | Peak Position |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | "Sweet '69" | Modern Rock Tracks | 37 |
"We Are Family" | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 22 |