The Slits Albums (4)
'Live at the Gibus Club'
Release Date 2/21/2005
Tracks 12
Label Castle
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Historically, this tape of a January 26, 1978 show in Paris has considerable value. It's the original lineup of the Slits -- Ari Up on vocals, Viv Albertine on guitar, Tessa Pollitt on bass, and Palmolive (who would leave before the Slits' first album, and later join the Raincoats) -- well in advance of the release of the group's first LP in 1979. Musically, however, Live at the Gibus Club is not as exciting as either of the Slits' later releases, or as legend would have the band sounding in their early days. The sound quality's actually fairly decent for an early live punk recording, and the four thrash around with as much venomous energy as almost anyone from the first wave of British punk acts. But the music's isn't nearly as inventive as it would be when they went into a heavily reggae-influenced approach by the time they started recording. Instead, it's tumbling, lumpy tempoed, similar-sounding rants with proto-hardcore anthemic choruses, with Up's vocals so howled that the words are difficult to make out (admittedly a trait shared by many an early punk recording). There are early versions of a few songs that would make it onto their debut album ("Instant Hit," "So Tough," "New Town," "Shoplifting," "Love and Romance"), along with a more unexpected cover of the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale." You also have the pleasure of hearing Up interrupt "Enemy Numero Uno" to deliver the following scolding: "F*ck off, you frustrated bouncer, you! Sh*t-ass! What are you doing up here anyway, you asshole?...Go to the bog and have a wank!" Early British punk insider (and, briefly, Slits manager) Don Letts contributes entertaining liner notes about the group's early days. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
'Return of the Giant Slits'
Release Date 1/1/1980
Tracks 21
Label Blast First Petite
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What The Critics Say
Never released in America, the Slits' second and final record found them pushing the envelope rhythmically. Although designed to be more commercial than Cut, it's actually less so, sounding more like the innovative work a young Adrian Sherwood was doing with Creation Rebel. Fans of the early Slits, who were put off by the reggae of Cut, were no doubt further alienated by this record's comfortable use of Afro-pop tempos and style. Which was a shame, because this music was interesting, daring and exciting. ~ John Dougan, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Its amateurish musicianship, less-than-honed singing, and thick, dubwise rhythms might not be for everyone, but there's little denying the crucial nature of the Slits' first record. Along with more recognized post-punk records like Public Image Limited's Metal Box, the Pop Group's Y, and less-recognized fare like Ruts D.C. and Mad Professor's Rhythm Collision Dub, Cut displayed a love affair with the style of reggae that honed in on deep throbs, pulses, and disorienting effects, providing little focus on anything other than that and periodic scrapes from guitarist Viv Albertine. But more importantly, Cut placed the Slits along with the Raincoats and Liliput as major figureheads of unbridled female expression in the post-punk era. You could call some of these songs a reaction to the more knuckledragging Nuggets bands, or the '60s garage acts that would find as many ways possible to say "women bad." Songs like "Instant Hit" (about PiL guitarist Keith Levene), "So Tough" (about Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten), "Ping Pong Affair," and "Love Und Romance" point out the shortcomings of the opposite sex and romantic involvements with more precision and sass than the men were ever able to. "Spend Spend Spend" and "Shoplifting" target consumerism with an equal sense of humor ("We pay f*ck all!"). Despite the less-than-polished nature and street-tough ruggedness, Cut is entirely fun and catchy; it's filled with memorable hooks, whether they're courtesy of the piano lick that carries "Typical Girls" or Ari Up's exuberant vocals. (One listen to Up will demonstrate that Björk might not be as original as you've been led to believe.) Island's 2000 reissue blows away the earlier issue in sound and presentation, adding to the essential nature of this wildly influential record. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Talk about pressure! In the realm of post-punk, the arrival of the first new Slits album in 28 years is roughly akin to a surprise return to publishing from J.D. Salinger. Led by the charismatic Ari Up, the Slits were deeply rooted in the first-generation U.K. punk scene (a couple of members had been involved in semi-mythical rehearsal-only collective Flowers of Romance alongside early Clash guitarist Keith Levene and a pre-Sex Pistols Sid Vicious), and became pioneers not only of post-punk itself, but of femme-punk and the use of reggae and dub in a post-punk context. The Slits' 1979 debut, Cut, inspired legions of jagged, rebellious, female-fronted bands for decades to come, and 30 years later, the long-inactive pioneers finally got around to releasing an official third album. Up and bassist Tessa Pollitt are still on hand for Trapped Animal, along with a batch of relatively new (the re-formed band had been playing live in one form or another for the last few years) recruits, including Sex Pistols' drummer Paul Cook's daughter, Hollie Cook, on keyboards. When you recall that Up herself is John Lydon's stepdaughter, those aforementioned punk roots come into even sharper focus. For all their punk cred, though, the first thing one notices about Trapped Animal is how damn professional it sounds. That's not a pejorative statement, simply an observation about how far the band has come from its unschooled, rough-and-ready beginnings. Not only is the reggae influence that's always been at the core of the Slits sound more concentrated than ever here, easily dominating the proceedings; more strikingly, Ari and company sound like a legit reggae band -- albeit a quirky one -- locking into their one-drop grooves like seasoned Studio One pros. Over the course of the album, they dip convincingly into everything from a roots reggae feel to dub flavors, ska, and even semi-dancehall. Lyrically, they're as uncompromising and in-your-face as ever, coming on strong straight out of the gate with the unrepentantly feminist opening cut "Ask Ma," and examining the struggle between art and commerce on "Pay Rent." That said, the album's only real misstep is one of the most overtly topical tunes, the child-abuse-themed &Issues," which suffers from a blunt, clumsy lyrical approach. Beyond that, the 21st century Slits rarely take a wrong step, even when they dip into a sort of Henry Cow-gone-cabaret feel on closing track "Had a Day." Die-hard Slits fans who aren't put off by the band's newfound professionalism or the greater reliance on keyboards at the expense of guitar will find their faith rewarded by Trapped Animal. ~ J. Allen, All Music Guide
