"Made Out of Babies"
"Made Out of Babies"
Formed in 2004.
As their playfully gruesome name suggests, Made Out Of Babies are not a demure or delicate band, but a vehicle of cathartic assault; as evocative as The Jesus Lizard, as imaginative and impassioned as Björk, as disturbingly frank and unnerving as Big Black, the New York City quartet conjures a wholly unique sense of claustrophobic fury, undermining the listener’s sense of order and rationality. Having signed to Neurot in 2005 - probably the most outright rock act to have yet done so - Made Out Of Babies released their debut ‘Trophy’ to immediate critical acclaim, with Revolver describing vocalist Julie Christmas as “Courtney Love, PJ Harvey and Karen O rolled into one whirling, wailing dervish,” while Kerrang suggested that “it’s not just her yelping and screaming that gets ingrained in your soul, but her whole essence. Made Out Of Babies leave you completely disconcerted.”
While Christmas attracts the attention of bewitched critics, a band comprised of guitarist Brendan Tobin, bassist Cooper (Players Club) and drummer Matthew Egan generate the industrial energy behind Made Out Of Babies’ churning hardcore rush, summoning a slithering pit of churning, caffeinated noise-rock reminiscent of greats like Steel Pole Bathtub, Unsane and Silverfish. Neurot has confounded expectations with the signing of Made Out Of Babies, but their superficial differences to bands commonly associated with the label belie their fundamental coherence with the Neurot ethic: to release music that challenges the mind while expressing intense passion and belief. This urgent, contorted quartet turns the hardcore idiom inside out while avoiding the art-fuck pretence of many bands treading a similar path.
September 2006 saw the release of Made Out Of Babies eagerly- awaited second album, ‘Coward’. Continuing where ‘Trophy’ left off, ‘Coward’ was produced by Steve Albini, and manages to encapsulate the band’s grinding, cathartic assault within a devastatingly efficient package. A captivating and intense record that disposes of the comforting illusions of contemporary Western society with each vicious and accurate slash, ‘Coward’ is a stomach-churning illustration of Made Out Of Babies latent force, and an indicator that they chime perfectly with the stark, awesome power for which Neurot is known.
After recently moving to The End records, their third disc, ‘The Ruiner’, was released on June 24, 2008, combining all the disconcerting sound of their last two releases with the natural evolution of their sound.
Members are:
Matthew Egan - drums
Brendan “Bunny” Tobin - guitars
Julie Xmas - Vocals
Cooper - bass