SLACKRR – ALBUM REVIEW


Slackrr – Time, It Wait For No One 
Slackrr - Time, It Wait For No One

Release Date: Out Now

Southampton pop punkers Slackrr have unleashed their debut album on the world just in time for summer road trips and beach parties. ‘Time, It Wait For No One’ opens up with ‘Asleep at the Wheel’ and immediately we’re off on a careering trip with some relentless drums and vocals that veer from punk to grunge and back again. ‘Closest to Perfect’ slows things down a touch and develops the band’s hugely American influenced sound that puts them up alongside the likes of the Ataris, Engine 88 and the Wrens – fine company indeed and a strong start to a debut long player. There is more of a Hole-esque feel to ‘Nerve’ which uses big, choppy chords and in-yer-face vocals to make itself heard with great success.

The furious guitars and pile driver drums of ‘Lights On’ are an assault on the senses but in Scotty Perry Slackrr have a frontman with a voice that can cut through the noise which holds it all together. The energy dips on ‘Mope’ as you might expect and you get a bit of a Silverchair vibe on the raw, circular riff before the track builds in to an anthem of self-pity; “I’m overwhelmed and underdressed” being the stand out lyric. ‘Same Old Story’ gets us back on a punky track with ferocious guitars battling those frenetic drums before ‘I Know’ blasts in from back stage like a drunk rugby player at a house party, ready to have fun but without any discernible coordination.

Slackrr
I quite often listen to new music in different scenarios to see where it fits and this album definitely works as good stomping music if you’re on foot and in a hurry. ‘Breathe’, for example, will get you to work on time in the morning when you’re running late if your legs can keep up with the pace the rhythm section create. The most commercial sounding track on the album is perhaps ‘Lessons’ which has a cinematic sound to it which would work on a lo-fi coming of age film like Juno but with less Michael Cera. The album finished up on a triumphant ‘Unsung’ which raises the corpses of the likes of Reuben and Million Dead and has a south-coast Weekend at Bernie’s style party with cans of Red Stripe and plenty of checked shirts. Slackrr are committed to their style, musically speaking, and that purity of direction comes through brilliantly although I’d put money on these guys being a hell of a live band so maybe check them out live as well as giving this a listen to get the full experience.  


Live Dates:

22nd June – The Goose, Worthing
29th June – Quiver Paddleboard Centre, Felixstowe
5th July – Phoenix Bar, High Wycombe
11th July – Wireless Bar, Bradford
13th July – Evil Eye, Liverpool
14th July – Late Nights @ West Street Live, Sheffield
28th July – John Gandy’s Live Music, Exeter
29th August – The Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes
30th August – The Black Prince, Northampton

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