A slow echoing guitar-just scratches on the strings as the bass meanders around the clattering percussion. At over four minutes long, it is the antithesis of punk. This slow song has one of the catchier upfront melodies. What program is next? (FM) Frequent Mutilation transmits over the air.

“FM” is a twist on the radio band: I’m waiting to hear what program is next. Shouted by all of them: Do a runner! Do a runner! Do a runner! Do a runner!Īfter the third verse She screams “Run!” like a banshee as the chords ascend in speed and notes. The bass line on this song is fast and feels like it’s running as much as the chorus: do a runner “Spend” is 3 minutes while “Shoplifting is barely 90 seconds. I have found a hundred ways to get rid of all my worries I’ve been quite hard, after a hard day’s work Going home, into bed when I’ve treated myself “Spend Spend Spend” pairs nicely with “Shopifting.” “Spend” is a slow loping song as the lyrics (sung in a sometime off-key mocking warble) mock consumerism:

The album takes off a bit with “So Tough” a much faster song with bass lines that run up the neck, fast drumming and Ari Up’s vocals hitting a higher register for “You can’t take anymore now you’re getting weak / So tough / You can sense a melody in all of the sounds, but it is buried. When the verse starts the guitar chords are unconventional for sure. The drums are complex with a lot of percussion. With clanging guitars playing opposite a slow grooving bass as all three sing. She was replaced by eventual Siouxsie and the Banshees drummer Budgie. Founding member and drummer Palmolive left the band apparently because she didn’t want to do the cover shoot.

The bass sound (from Tessa Pollitt ) on the album is fat and round–it’s a great sonic feeling and is a perfect low end for the detached guitar style (from Viv Albertine) in the songs. The rest of the band are fully invested–chanting along and fleshing out this, at times, bizarre album. Ari Up’s vocals are defiant and brash but in addition to screaming and shrieking, she can also sing quite nicely. It’s reggae and dub inspired but sounds nothing like reggae. The Slits went from being unable to play their instruments, to playing an interesting bass heavy, guitar-slashing style. It’s interesting to me how this band is so associated with the punk scene when musically they are very far from what most people consider punk (and from what the band in this story sounds like).

John fogerty parx casino august 17