Bouncing Babies
Bouncing Babies was originally planned to be a split hardcore comp released by Maryland based Fountain of Youtb records and midwest label Version Sound. When Version Sound ceased to be a going concern the compilation became an all Maryland/DC compilation featuring bands whose sounds ranged from straight up hardcore to ska to jangly pop to art damage. Maybe that’s what disappointed me when I first heard Bouncing Babies. The mix of styles (and a truly terrible GI track) left a sour taste in my mouth, so much so I didn’t even bother taping the record. For years I wrote off the comp as a sub par companion to legendary DC comp Flex Your Head. A couple of years ago I was able to give it a second chance and walked away with not only a new appreciation for the record, but also for the scene not covered by Dischord. Some of my favorites:
Dove - Ambivalence.mp3
featured a former member of Red C, I can’t find any other info
Crippled Pilgrims - Black and White.mp3
Featuring pre-Trenchmouth members, the guitar is reminiscent of latter day Wipers. Great track
Scream - Ultraviolence-Scream.mp3
rougher sounding than the versions on Still Screaming
Black Market Baby - Suzie Dear.mp3
More great buzz punk from BMB
Reptile House - Talons and Claws.mp3
featuring a pre-Lungfish Daniel Higgs on vocals.
9353 - Ten Witches.mp3
This song grabs me everytime, until the 2:20 mark where the vocals take a schizo turn. Strangely enjoyable though. To me it plays like a mash of Joy Division and Alice Donut.
Void - Get Out of My Way.mp3
I’m not certain, but I think this cut was included on the Condensed Flesh 7″ boot released in the early ’90’s.
Notes:
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Indeed, Get Out Of My Way is contained on the Condensed Flesh release. Wouldn’t it be great to see a thorough Void comp some day, maybe w/ more from the demo session that is on 20 Year Of Dischord. Under-valued by almost everyone, I still love this band, more than any other DC band you care to mention…
Void was totally bad ass. Isn’t there also a video of them playing live in someone’s backyard that floats around? I’ve heard that Bubba Dupree plays guitar in Moby’s touring band sometimes.
Hot. Thanks for posting Reptile House. I’ve wanted to hear that forever!!
9353 were awesome. Not hardcore at all, but definitely part of the 80’s DC scene. “Famous Last Words” is the track to find…
Did Neal Adams do the cover??
The Reptile House and 9353 tracks are amazing… thank you!
Bubba Dupree is currently touring with the live line-up of Hater, featuring Ben Sheppard (ex-Soundgarden) and Andy Duvall (ex-Zen Guerrilla).
i believe pete moffet (government issue/wool)and eric lagdameo were in dove. later, both of them would resurface in liquid boy, with robert bowers (th’ inbred) on bass.
i’d never heard a dove song before; great stuff, and i thank you again.
The cover was done by Tom Grindberg (sp?). He later went on to do some Batman Comics amoung other higher profile comics. I think he was from the DC Area originally.
Dave
Thanks, Grindberg rings a vague bell. I kinda tried to google this but didn’t some of the guys in Dove go on to do Kingface? If not, what band preceeded Kingface??
The Government Issue song is a Pentagram cover. Pentagram were local to the VA/DC/MD metal scene akin to The Obssessed.
is scream the band with dave grohl in it?
Yes, Scream had David Grohl.
I loved this comp and it was a nice change from the local uber-label Dischord.
j marinelli is right about the membership of dove; in fact, when they played their first show at the wilson center, they were known as ENB, as in “eric’s new band”.
I hate to be a beggar, but can you repost/fix these mp3s? Pleeeeeeeease? I have a few of those tracks already but my copy of this LP went south a while ago, and I really miss it.
Thanks for the walk down memory lane!