Revolves around vocalist/guitarist Doug Martsch, formerly of Seattle’s Treepeople. The line-up has included too many other Northwest band members to mention.
Vocalist Rose Elliot’s strong, rich voice reminds me a bit of Tyson Meade (ex-Chainsaw Kittens). Having two percussionists gives them a quasi-tribal feel.
Even with the machine parts and oil drums, the raw sound sources of Neubauten, the CD-ROM inside, and the hoarse, strained vocals, Babyland isn’t very good.
This one-liner/fragment approach broaches all the right subjects: Women’s rights (good), government (bad), modern society (sucks). Once in a while, it clicks.