{{Short description|American college rock band}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Blake Babies | image = BlakeBabies-mammothphoto7.jpg | caption = Blake Babies, c. 1990. From left: Freda Love, John Strohm, Juliana Hatfield | image_size = | landscape = yes | alias = | origin = Boston, Massachusetts, United States | genre = Alternative rock | years_active = 1986–1991, 1999–2001, 2016 | label = Mammoth | associated_acts = Antenna, Some Girls | website = {{URL|https://blakebabies.com/}} | current_members = | past_members = John Strohm<br />Freda Love<br />Juliana Hatfield }}
'''Blake Babies''' were an American college rock band formed in 1986 in Boston, Massachusetts. The three primary members were Freda Love, Juliana Hatfield and John Strohm. They recorded three albums before splitting up in 1991. They reformed to record a new album in 1999, and again in 2016.
==History== The band formed in 1986, while Hatfield was studying at Berklee College of Music.<ref name="Strong">Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, {{ISBN|1-84195-335-0}}, pp. 782-3</ref> The name "Blake Babies" was provided by the poet Allen Ginsberg; following a reading at Harvard University, the group (which had just begun to play together) raised their hands and asked him to name their band.<ref>Earles, Andrew (2014) ''Gimme Indie Rock: 500 Essential American Underground Rock Albums 1981–1996'', Voyageur Press, {{ISBN|978-0760346488}}, p. 43</ref> Their first release was the ''Nicely, Nicely'' album, released on their own Chewbud label in 1987.<ref name="Larkin">Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Indie & New Wave'', Virgin Books, {{ISBN|0-7535-0231-3}}, p. 50</ref><ref>Mason, Stewart "[https://www.allmusic.com/album/nicely-nicely-mw0000118504 ''Nicely, Nicely'' Review]", Allmusic. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref>
In 1989 they released the mini-LP ''Slow Learner'' on Billy Bragg's Utility label, with Evan Dando of the Lemonheads (with whom Strohm previously played) joining as a temporary bassist.<ref name="Strong" /><ref name="Larkin" /><ref name="Robbins">Robbins, Ira "[http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=blake_babies Blake Babies]", ''Trouser Press''. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref> The band then signed to the then-independent North Carolina–based record label Mammoth Records, which issued ''Earwig'' in 1989 and ''Sunburn'' in 1990, the latter described by Allmusic as "the last great college rock album".<ref name="Larkin" /><ref>Mason, Stewart "[https://www.allmusic.com/album/sunburn-mw0000320712 ''Sunburn'' Review]", Allmusic. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref> Their final UK tour included several sold-out shows, and the band looked on the verge of a breakthrough, but they went on hiatus in 1991, with the ''Rosy Jack World'' EP released in June and Hatfield rumored to be on the brink of signing with a major label as a solo artist.<ref name="Larkin" /><ref>Corcoran, Michael (1991) "[https://web.archive.org/web/20180210062218/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4058239.html Smashing Pumpkins sounds totally fresh // Local band's debut is whipped delight]", ''Chicago Sun-Times'', June 9, 1991. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref> The band's split was finally confirmed in early 1992.<ref>Puls, Eric (1992) "[https://web.archive.org/web/20180210063542/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4106012.html After breakup, Blake Babies' guitarist pops up in Antenna]", ''Chicago Sun-Times'', April 17, 1992. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref>
The Blake Babies toured the United States and Europe, eventually achieving a moderate amount of notice, particularly among listeners of college age who were appreciative of the group's "intelligent" brand of rock music. The band's music received little airplay on commercial radio, instead being played primarily on college radio stations.
Andrew Mayer, Seth White, Anthony DeLuca (who played drums in place of Freda for the group's last European tour in early 1992), and Mike Leahy each also performed as members of the band at times.
Strohm and Love continued to perform together in the Indiana-based group Antenna.<ref name="Larkin" /><ref name="Erlewine" />
The group reunited in late 1999 to record a new album,<ref>"[https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/80440/blake-babies-make-a-blessed-return Blake Babies Make A 'Blessed' Return]", ''Billboard'', March 5, 2001. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref> performing a few shows in 1999 and 2000 and embarking on one last US tour in 2001. The result of these recording sessions, ''God Bless the Blake Babies'', was released in 2001 by Rounder Records.<ref name="Erlewine">Erlewine, Stephen Thomas "[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/blake-babies-mn0000046734/biography Blake Babies Biography]", Allmusic. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref><ref>Kilian, Dan (2001) "[https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/789-god-bless-the-blake-babies/ Blake Babies ''God Bless the Blake Babies'']", Pitchfork, March 6, 2001. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref>
Hatfield and Love joined up again in 2003 in the band Some Girls along with fellow musician Heidi Gluck.<ref>Hogan, Ray (2003) "[https://web.archive.org/web/20151023215352/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-08-08/news/0308090184_1_blake-babies-juliana-hatfield-chic Some Girls Feel It Juliana Hatfield has teamed...]", ''Chicago Tribune'', August 8, 2003. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref>
In March 2016, the band announced that an album of demos recorded in March 1988 would be released (''Earwig Demos''), and they reunited again for three live shows that year.<ref>Tully Claymore, Gabriela (2016) "[https://www.stereogum.com/1885288/blake-babies-announce-intimate-reunion-shows/news/ Blake Babies Announce Intimate Reunion Shows]", stereogum.com, June 8, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref><ref>Smith, Steve (2016) "[https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2016/07/05/reunited-blake-babies-revisit-demo-days/1PXmfyXUoPhnPzIvqhgHTI/story.html Reunited Blake Babies revisit demo days]", ''The Boston Globe'', July 6, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2018</ref>
==Musical style== The group were compared to R.E.M., Throwing Muses<ref name="Strong" /> and the Lemonheads.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Blake Babies Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & Mor... |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/blake-babies-mn0000046734 |access-date=2025-12-21 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref> ''The Washington Post'''' described them as "punkish folk-rock".<ref>Jenkins, Mark (1991) "[https://web.archive.org/web/20180210063540/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1055695.html Two Groups Play With Folk-Rock]", ''The Washington Post'', March 22, 1991.</ref> AllMusic characterized their sound as employing "thin, girlish singing", while noting the band's tendency to "branch out into both punkier and folkier territories on each record."<ref name=":0" />
== Discography == === Albums === ==== Studio albums ==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="1"| Year ! rowspan="1"| Album details |- | 1987 | align="left"| ''Nicely, Nicely'' {{smalldiv| * Mini-album * Released: 1987 * Label: Chewbud Records }} |- | 1989 | align="left"| ''Slow Learner'' {{smalldiv| * Mini-album * Released: July, 1989 * Label: Utility Records }} |- | 1989 | align="left"| ''Earwig'' {{smalldiv| * Released: 1989 * Label: Mammoth Records }} |- | 1990 | align="left"| ''Sunburn'' {{smalldiv| * Released: October, 1990 * Label: Mammoth Records }} |- | 2001 | align="left"| ''God Bless the Blake Babies'' {{smalldiv| * Released: March 6, 2001 * Label: Zoë Records }} |- |}
==== Compilation albums ==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="1"| Year ! rowspan="1"| Album details |- | 1993 | align="left"| ''Innocence & Experience'' {{smalldiv| * Released: October 12, 1993 * Label: Mammoth Records }} |- | 2016 | align="left"| ''Earwig Demos 6–7 March 1988'' {{smalldiv| * Released: 2016 * Label: Chewbud Records }} |- |}
=== Extended plays === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="1"| Year ! rowspan="1"| EP details |- | 1991 | align="left"| ''Rosy Jack World'' {{smalldiv| * Released: June, 1991 * Label: Mammoth Records }} |- | 2002 | align="left"| ''Epilogue'' {{smalldiv| * Released: 2001 * Label: Ye Olde Records }} |- |}
=== Singles === {| class="wikitable" !align="left" valign="top" width="30"|Year !align="left" valign="top" width="120"|Title !align="left" valign="top" width="120"|Album !align="left" valign="top" |B-Sides |- |align="left" rowspan="1"|1989 |align="left" valign="top"|"Cesspool" |align="left" rowspan="2"|''Earwig'' |align="left" valign="top"| |- |align="left" rowspan="1"|1990 |align="left" valign="top"|"Lament" |align="left" valign="top"|"Cesspool" & "Loose" |- |align="left" rowspan="1"|1990 |align="left" valign="top"|"Out There" |align="left" rowspan="1"|''Sunburn'' |align="left" valign="top"| |- |align="left" rowspan="1"|1991 |align="left" valign="top"|"Temptation Eyes" |align="left" rowspan="2"|''Innocence & Experience'' |align="left" valign="top"| |- |align="left" rowspan="1"|1991 |align="left" valign="top"|"Take Me" |align="left" valign="top"| |- |align="left" rowspan="1"|2001 |align="left" valign="top"|"Nothing Ever Happens" |align="left" rowspan="1"|''God Bless the Blake Babies'' |align="left" valign="top"| |- |}
===DVD=== * ''Blake Babies'' (2016)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website}}
{{Blake Babies|state=expanded}} {{Juliana Hatfield}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blake Babies}} Category:Alternative rock groups from Massachusetts Category:Musical groups from Boston Category:Musical groups established in 1986 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1992 Category:Musical groups reestablished in 1999 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2001 Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2016 Category:1986 establishments in Massachusetts Category:Zoë Records artists Category:Female-fronted musical groups