I can’t say enough good things about the 33 1/3 series, which proves to be a hit in each installment I read.

I was less deeply familiar with the band this time than I have been when reading previous books in this series, so it required a bit of preliminary background listening, as I was only very casually familiar with Babes in Toyland.

As with others in the series, the book gives a deeper appreciation for the music whether you’re a super fan of the band or just a casual listener. The technical aspects of these books are fascinating, and Chambers does an exceptional job of balancing cultural influence and aspects of recording when discussing how the album came together.

An illuminating look at one of the most influential bands that missed my radar as a young person, but who obviously had a massive effect on bands that I love, Babes in Toyland's Fontanelle is a lovingly told deep dive into the creation and life of a treasure. From the haters to the lovers, this book touches on everything from the band's major contributions to the sound of the time and also the attitude that changed our ears forever. Unflinchingly, the band pressed forward with feminist empowerment, creating their own genre and mood, but (controversially) without the desire to draw that line in the sand. Babes in Toyland's Fontanelle is worth a read for the nostalgia alone, and Chambers' writing is also impassioned and makes you feel drawn to learning more about the band.

I adore every book in this series and love seeing Selenas take on this iconic album. Any music fan would love any of the books in this series.

Babes in Toyland have a very interesting story. Forming for the love of music and doing things their own way, the band is signed to a major label just before the Nevermind” alternative rock explosion. This book details the formation of Babes in Toyland, the albums prior to Fontanelle, the bands early success, and the recording of Fontanelle. There are detailed descriptions of the importance of Michelle Leon and how her absence from the recording of “Fontanelle” impacted the bands momentum. The songwriting and singing of Kat Bjelland is discussed in detail with the author going over in detail every song on the album and their potential influences. The promotion of the album from the label and tour along with the album and the bands legacy are discussed.

I am a big fan of the 33 1/3 book franchise but find I end up owning more of the books than I read. I am so glad I read this one. This is the best kind of 33 1/3 book in my opinion. The author interviews band members and other that were there, uses extensive sources for the band members that were not able to contribute and tells a thorough biography of the band up to the tour of this album. The author does not tell personal stories but gives a detailed critical analysis of the songwriting and legacy of Babes in Toyland.

I had never listened to Babes in Toyland and I really enjoyed this book. I started checking out their music and am now a fan. Their story is very interesting and I feel would make and interesting documentary or show. This book tells the story well with just the right amount of analysis, I highly recommend this book to people that like to read about rock music and it is a must for fans of Babes in Toyland.

I have read many books in this "33 1/3" series and always love the dive into the music and context of the band. This book too finally highlights a band "Babes in Toyland" and their major record release of 30 years ago. They were a part of the Minneapolis music scene at the same time as many male bands who got more press and attention. I remember hearing their album Fontanelle and being struck by the raw emotion of the vocals and guitar. My only regret is never seeing this band live. With "girl" bands, it seems the press likes to focus on the backstage drama (and there is as outlined in this book) and comparisons to Courtney Love or Nirvana. The book does a great job weaving context and background on each of the songs on the album. This book comes out at the right time to shine a light on a band that finally deserves the spotlight.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Academic for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

‘Babes in Toyland’s Fontanelle’ by Selena Chambers is the latest in the consistently excellent ‘33 1/3’ series of in-depth looks at some of the most musically, socially or artistically important albums of the twentieth and twenty first centuries. This one looks at the major label debut from the Minneapolis trio, the spiritual foremothers and inspiration for a number of the bands that made up the Riot Grrrl movement in the early 1990s.

Part biography and part academic analysis, it covers the time from the formation of the band, through the departure of bassist Michelle Leon and her replacement with Maureen Herman, up to their signing with Warner Reprise and the recording of Fontanelle. As just a regular fan, I found the biographical parts a more interesting read, covering parts of the band’s career I wasn’t familiar with and proving some insight into the fairly stressful situation they all found themselves in at the time of this album’s recording.

Chambers did manage to speak to drummer Lori Barbero, as well as Herman and Leon, but I feel the book’s main weakness is the lack of any direct input from singer, songwriter and guitarist Kat Bjelland. This means that the section on the meanings and inspirations for each of the songs is based upon a mix of previous public statements from Bjelland and Chamber’s own opinions, and it would have been better if there had been confirmation if any of these were actually correct.

But overall, it’s an interesting book providing an in-depth examination of a band who haven’t received as much attention as they probably should have.