I can never tell if getting sent a CD by an unknown band is a curse or a blessing. Especially when the music contained on said CD is as uninspiring as this trio of ‘real punk rockers’. Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, they clearly worship at the altar of the Ramones, Screeching Weasel and the Queers. While played well (see The Methadones), this is a joy to behold. Played badly, this is Slidepiece.
After a recorded intro, which is clearly intended to be humorous, but misses the mark by about half a mile, ‘School’s In Session’ sets the standard for the rest of the CD. Run of the mill drum work, standard bass lines and simple, yet at times, highly effective guitar riffs with enjoyable vocal harmonies over the top. Nothing on this CD even approaches originality, and thus, nothing inspires me enough to write anything significant in this review. The entire duration of this CD washes over me like I haven’t even listened to it.
Recently, my musical tastes have matured, and while I still love to hear some good old no frills, fast paced punk rock, I find myself searching for something different. Slidepiece present nothing new to me. “I don’t want to hear your shit, I don’t want to deal with it, I don’t want to hear your shit, Cus I just wanna get wasted†goes the chorus of ‘Wasted’. Yes, this is the kind of thing we are dealing with here.
I’m sure I probably sound patronising and conceited as I write this, but I don’t care. Apart from the fact that the band sound like they’re having a hell of a lot of fun playing this stuff (and with the stoner theme running throughout the record, it’s easy to see why) and that the melodies are kinda infectious (or they would be if they were in time with each other), I really am struggling to pick out any positives. Not that it’s all negative, just that it elicits no strong emotions from me whatsoever. I guess I’ve just heard it all before, and done ten times better. Frat house, weed smoking three chord punk rock played slightly out of time with each other… and that’s about it.
Ross