Tag: war babies

Mr. Brad Sinsel, the nearly man of the Seattle music scene. TKO’s In Your Face album released back in ’84 but it was actually recorded in ’81, but they couldn’t get a deal. This is an album way ahead of the curve and one of my favourites from this time.

By the time it actually surfaced, hot shot guitarist Adam “Bomb” Brenner, who wrote all the songs with Sinsel, had left and even though they toured relentlessly momentum had disappeared. There was a third album but it didn’t do a whole bunch. Next up for Sinsel would be the Suicide Squad project that only released an EP on Music For Nations. Then, in ’92 up popped the War Babies project which originally featured Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam.

There is a demos album doing the rounds, but this was the only album they made. The vibe is sleaze/glam/grunge with a healthy dose of early Aerosmith thrown in there. Sinsel’s throaty rasp really suits this music and the tracks Sweetwater and Sea Of Madness are pure gold. This album is packed with quality tunes. Of the slower grungy tracks, Blue Tomorrow is an epic moody beast.

The record company dumped them after this, saying they were too glam for Seattle. I guess it wasn’t meant to be. Brad is still out there in a band called Angels Of Dresden with another Pearl Jammer Mike McCready.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

Not many people outside of the Seattle area would pay much attention to War Babies as they were a blink and they’re gone band. I’m sure that a lot of rock fans of a certain age will have heard of a band called TKO, especially their second album In Your Face which was a bit of a classic. It was recorded in ’81 and featured the legend that is Brad Sinsel on vocals and a then young guitar whizz called Adam Bomb on guitar. They recorded one more album called Below The Belt that came out in ’86, but by then the band were a revolving door of members, except for the ever present Sinsel. The next I heard of Brad was a band called Suicide Squad who released one EP on MFN in the UK, and then there was nothing until War Babies, who released one album and that was it.

This album is a selection of tunes that were to be on the second War Babies record, but that never happened. There are hints of old TKO but the staple here is a more sleazy, dirty, rock n’ roll vibe. When everything comes together like on When The Well Runs Dry, the band really flies. If Aerosmith and The Cult had a child then War Babies would be the offspring. They also do a very good Faces impression on slower tunes like She Wants More. My favourite track is Strange Love, a more up tempo groover with a very sleazy raw rock n’ roll vibe, which suits Brad’s vocal style.

This is not as good as their debut album for sure, but if you’re interested in Brad Sinsel or in the Seattle scene in general then it’s a curiosity for sure.

7/10 from The Grooveman.