Spanking Machine

Spanking Machine is the debut studio album by American punk rock band Babes in Toyland, released on April 16, 1990.[3]

Spanking Machine
Studio album by
Babes in Toyland
ReleasedApril 16, 1990
Recorded1989
StudioReciprocal Recording, Seattle, Washington, U.S.
GenreGrunge[1][2]
Length35:44
LabelTwin/Tone
Producer
Babes in Toyland chronology
Spanking Machine
(1990)		 To Mother
(1991)

Background and production

The working title of the album was Swamp Pussy, which later ended up becoming the opening song on the album. The album title was later changed to Spanking Machine, after the "spanking machine" from an episode of Leave It to Beaver titled "The Price of Fame."[4]

The album was recorded and produced by Seattle musician/producer Jack Endino[5] at Reciprocal Recording in Seattle - where other bands such as Nirvana and Mudhoney recorded - and was released in April 1990 by Twin/Tone Records.

"Dust Cake Boy" was the first and only single from the album, released by Treehouse Records (Minneapolis) in 1989. It was recorded in 1988, before the band's sessions with Jack Endino, at Technisound Studio and produced by Brian Paulson. The single was backed with "Spit to See the Shine". A promotional video for the song "He's My Thing" was also recorded, though the song was never released as a single. Recorded during a live show at Minneapolis' First Avenue, the video was recorded on a 16mm camera by Mike Etoll.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[8]
Spin Alternative Record Guide6/10[9]
The Village VoiceC+[10]
Vox8/10[11]

Spanking Machine received generally positive reviews from critics, with Mark Deming of AllMusic stating:

[Spanking Machine] sounds like the blueprint for the music [Courtney] Love would make during Hole's first incarnation [...] that Spanking Machine is a more compelling and emotionally powerful work [and] Kat Bjelland's songs pull no punches.[6]

Other bands interested in the underground music scene - most notably Sonic Youth - were fans of the album, so much so that Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore invited the band to perform on Sonic Youth's 1990 European tour[12] to promote their latest album, Goo. The band also performed alongside Sonic Youth at 1991's Reading Festival,[13][14] which was documented by Dave Markey's music documentary, 1991: The Year Punk Broke.

Rolling Stone ranked Spanking Machine at #27 in their list of the 50 Greatest Grunge Albums in 2019, writing that Spanking Machine "was a perfect marriage of crunchy Midwestern punk and wry Northwestern malaise."[1]

Track listing

All songs written by Kat Bjelland, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Swamp Pussy" 2:24
2."He's My Thing" 2:56
3."Vomit Heart" 2:48
4."Never" 3:16
5."Boto(w)rap"Bjelland, Lori Barbero2:31
6."Dogg"Barbero3:53
7."Pain in My Heart" 3:59
8."Lashes" 3:46
9."You're Right" 3:07
10."Dust Cake Boy" 3:31
11."Fork Down Throat" 3:54
Total length:35:44

Musicians and personnel

References
  1. "50 Greatest Grunge Albums". Rolling Stone. April 1, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  2. "The 20 Greatest Grunge Albums of All Time". Spin. Vol. 20, no. 4. SPIN Media LLC. April 2004. p. 62–63. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  3. Anon. (April 13, 1990). "Upcoming Releases" (PDF). CMJ New Music Report. No. 193. p. 74 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  4. "Leave It to Beaver: The Price of Fame Summary, Cast and Crew". starpulse.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  5. "Jack Endino Production Discography". endino.com. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  6. Deming, Mark. "Spanking Machine – Babes in Toyland". AllMusic. Retrieved March 17, 2010.
  7. Sandow, Greg; Nash, Alanna; Giddins, Gary (April 27, 1990). "Notable music for the week of April 27, 1990". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  8. Abowitz, Richard (2004). "Babes in Toyland". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 32. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  9. Hutson, Johnny (1995). "Babes in Toyland". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. p. 22. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  10. Christgau, Robert (July 3, 1990). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  11. Finlay, Leo (July 1991). "Reviews: Rock: Babes in Toyland". Vox. No. 10. IPC. p. 64.
  12. "sonic youth concert chronology - 1990". www.sonicyouth.com. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  13. "Reading Festival 1991". www.fatreg.com. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  14. "The Reading Festival". phespirit.info. Archived from the original on June 20, 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
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