A frenetic, free jazz and punk-inspired no wave collective from Oakland, California, No Babies' roots extend to Alabama, where founding members Sean Nieves (drums) and Ricky Martyr (guitar) first began playing together in high school. Inspired by artists like Dark Lion, Crass, and Sun Ra, No Babies adopted a staunch D.I.Y. aesthetic, issuing a scattering of independent singles and small-run releases leading up to their 2011 debut full-length on U.K. label Upset the Rhythm. By that point, Nieves and Martyr had relocated to the West Coast, where No Babies grew in size through the addition of various new members contributing sax, clarinet, guitars, bass, and vocals. Their steady stream of recorded output, including a split 7" release between Upset the Rhythm and Arizona's Gilgongo Records titled Yo No Soy Como Tu, supported their constant touring, which frequently eschewed traditional venues and took them as far away as Japan. More small releases such as 2015's Dream World Human Problems cassette followed, before No Babies returned in early 2018 with their sophomore full-length, Someone to Watch Over Me. ~ Timothy Monger