Fontanelle (album)
Encyclopedia
Fontanelle is the second studio album
by the American punk rock
band Babes in Toyland
, released on August 11, 1992. It was the band's first release on a major label (Reprise Records
, a division of Warner Music), and their first recording to feature Maureen Herman
on bass.
. Bassist Michelle Leon left the group in December 1991, shortly before the recording of Fontanelle began, due to the death of her boyfriend, Joe Cole
. Maureen Herman
was recruited as her replacement.
The album was co-produced by frontwoman and guitarist Kat Bjelland
with Lee Ranaldo
of Sonic Youth
heading production. Brian Paulson was also studio engineer and the final product was mixed by Dave Ogilvie. The cover photo — an image of a naked doll held up in front of a mirror — was taken for the album by photographer Cindy Sherman
.
The band has explained the album's name as referring to the soft spot
on the top of a baby's skull, as well as to a little fountain used by fairies. It is also the name of a magician consulted by Gilles de Rais
, the real-life murderer who inspired the fairy tale "Bluebeard
".
The process of recording the album is described in the book Babes in Toyland: The Making and Selling of a Rock and Roll Band, by Neal Karlen.
The album's success also prompted them to tour more and were eventually offered a place on the Lollapalooza
tour in 1993, playing alongside such acts as Tool
, Primus
, Alice in Chains
, Dinosaur Jr. and Rage Against the Machine
. During dates at Lollapalooza, the band released their third and final EP, Painkillers, in June 1993, which consisted of a re-recording of one of their most notable songs "He's My Thing", and outtakes from Fontanelle.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by the American punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Babes in Toyland
Babes in Toyland (band)
Babes in Toyland was an American alternative rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1987. The band was formed by Oregon native Kat Bjelland , with Lori Barbero and Michelle Leon , who was later replaced by Maureen Herman in 1992...
, released on August 11, 1992. It was the band's first release on a major label (Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
, a division of Warner Music), and their first recording to feature Maureen Herman
Maureen Herman
Maureen Herman was from 1992 until 1996 the bass player for the Minneapolis-based Babes in Toyland.-Early years:Herman was raised in Libertyville, Illinois, and attended Libertyville High School...
on bass.
Background and production
After extensive touring throughout 1991, the band entered the studio to record their major label follow-up to their debut album, Spanking MachineSpanking Machine
-Musicians and personnel:*Kat Bjelland - lead vocals, guitar*Lori Barbero - drums, backing vocals *Michelle Leon - bass*Jack Endino - producer, engineer...
. Bassist Michelle Leon left the group in December 1991, shortly before the recording of Fontanelle began, due to the death of her boyfriend, Joe Cole
Joe Cole (roadie)
Joseph Dennis "Joe" Cole was a roadie for Black Flag and Rollins Band. He was the best friend and roommate of the musician/author/actor Henry Rollins. His memoirs were published posthumously by 2.13.61 publishing, Planet Joe, in which he documented his experiences on the last Black Flag tour and...
. Maureen Herman
Maureen Herman
Maureen Herman was from 1992 until 1996 the bass player for the Minneapolis-based Babes in Toyland.-Early years:Herman was raised in Libertyville, Illinois, and attended Libertyville High School...
was recruited as her replacement.
The album was co-produced by frontwoman and guitarist Kat Bjelland
Kat Bjelland
Katherine "Kat" Bjelland is an American musician who is currently the lead singer-guitarist of the band Katastrophy Wife, and is the former lead singer and guitarist of the punk rock band Babes in Toyland....
with Lee Ranaldo
Lee Ranaldo
Lee M. Ranaldo is an American singer, guitarist, writer, record producer, and visual artist, best known as a co-founder of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth...
of Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
heading production. Brian Paulson was also studio engineer and the final product was mixed by Dave Ogilvie. The cover photo — an image of a naked doll held up in front of a mirror — was taken for the album by photographer Cindy Sherman
Cindy Sherman
Cindy Sherman is an American photographer and film director, best known for her conceptual portraits. Sherman currently lives and works in New York City. In 1995, she was the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship. She is represented by Sprüth Magers Berlin London in and Metro Pictures gallery in...
.
The band has explained the album's name as referring to the soft spot
Fontanelle
A fontanelle is an anatomical feature on an infant's skull.-Anatomy:Fontanelles are soft spots on a baby's head which, during birth, enable the bony plates of the skull to flex, allowing the child's head to pass through the birth canal. The ossification of the bones of the skull causes the...
on the top of a baby's skull, as well as to a little fountain used by fairies. It is also the name of a magician consulted by Gilles de Rais
Gilles de Rais
Gilles de Montmorency-Laval , Baron de Rais, was a Breton knight, a leader in the French army and a companion-in-arms of Joan of Arc. He is best known as a prolific serial killer of children...
, the real-life murderer who inspired the fairy tale "Bluebeard
Bluebeard
"Bluebeard" is a French literary folktale written by Charles Perrault and is one of eight tales by the author first published by Barbin in Paris in January 1697 in Histoires ou Contes du temps passé. The tale tells the story of a violent nobleman in the habit of murdering his wives and the...
".
The process of recording the album is described in the book Babes in Toyland: The Making and Selling of a Rock and Roll Band, by Neal Karlen.
Critical reception
Fontanelle is Babes in Toylands' most critically and commercially successful album, selling 220,000 copies approximately in the United States alone. Reviews of the album were very positive, with Steve Huey from allmusic noting:Measured by any standard, Fontanelle is a frighteningly primal record, one whose sheer ferocity Babes in Toyland never quite captured this convincingly anywhere else.
The album's success also prompted them to tour more and were eventually offered a place on the Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
tour in 1993, playing alongside such acts as Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
, Primus
Primus (band)
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
, Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
, Dinosaur Jr. and Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
. During dates at Lollapalooza, the band released their third and final EP, Painkillers, in June 1993, which consisted of a re-recording of one of their most notable songs "He's My Thing", and outtakes from Fontanelle.
Track listing
All songs written by Babes in Toyland.- "Bruise Violet"* – 2:52
- "Right Now" – 2:19
- "Bluebell" – 2:22
- "Handsome and Gretel"* – 1:50
- "Blood" – 2:44
- "Magick Flute" – 3:02
- "Won't Tell" – 2:27
- "Quiet Room" – 2:59
- "Spun" – 3:03
- Untitled Hidden TrackHidden trackIn the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
– 0:41 - "Jungle Train" – 2:15
- "Pearl" – 1:56
- "Real Eyes" – 2:51
- "Mother" – 3:13
- "Gone" – 2:28
- * indicates single
Musicians and personnel
- Kat BjellandKat BjellandKatherine "Kat" Bjelland is an American musician who is currently the lead singer-guitarist of the band Katastrophy Wife, and is the former lead singer and guitarist of the punk rock band Babes in Toyland....
- lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Lori BarberoLori BarberoLori Barbero was the drummer for the Minneapolis-based band Babes in Toyland. She subsequently played drums for the bands Eggtwist and Koalas....
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, backing vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(on "Magick Flute") - Maureen HermanMaureen HermanMaureen Herman was from 1992 until 1996 the bass player for the Minneapolis-based Babes in Toyland.-Early years:Herman was raised in Libertyville, Illinois, and attended Libertyville High School...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Lee RanaldoLee RanaldoLee M. Ranaldo is an American singer, guitarist, writer, record producer, and visual artist, best known as a co-founder of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth...
- producer, engineer - Kat BjellandKat BjellandKatherine "Kat" Bjelland is an American musician who is currently the lead singer-guitarist of the band Katastrophy Wife, and is the former lead singer and guitarist of the punk rock band Babes in Toyland....
- additional production - Brian PaulsonBrian PaulsonBrian Paulson is a musician, record producer and audio engineer from Minnesota, best known for recording albums by Slint, Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt and Wilco....
- engineer - John ArmstrongJohn ArmstrongJohn Armstrong was an American civil engineer and soldier who served as a major general in the Revolutionary War. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress for Pennsylvania...
- engineer - John Azelvandre - engineer
- Eric S. Anderson - assistant engineer
- Howie WeinbergHowie WeinbergHowie Weinberg is a music mastering engineer who has worked with numerous bands.- Career :He has worked at Masterdisk, New York City, since 1977...
- mastering - Dave OgilvieDave OgilvieDave "Rave" Ogilvie is a Canadian record producer and musician. He is a producer of industrial music and has been associated with bands such as Skinny Puppy , Doughboys, The Birthday Massacre , Marilyn Manson, Jakalope , Killing Joke, Queensrÿche, Alexz Johnson, Fake Shark...
- mixing - Art design by Tom Recchion
- Front cover: Untitled by Cindy Sherman (1992)
- Group photograph: Babes in Toyland by Michael Lavine (1992)
Chart performance
| Chart | Peak | |
|---|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
24 |