Heave Media

About five years ago, a female companion and myself trekked down to the fabled Fireside Bowl of Chicago to see Ari Up perform.  I was familiar with very little by the Slits but jumped at the chance to see this treasured Jamaican import.  Her entrance was nothing less than spectacular, as spectacular as any bands' entrance at the Fireside could be.  You couldn't miss this tall Amazonian looking force with a head full of tangled dreads and thrift store color.  When her time came she walked down the center of the crowd with DAT tape in hand.  She popped that sucker into her makeshift set-up and the room lit up into a pulsating one woman exorcism.  She was the high priestess of urban carnality and the stage was her alter.  So, it's with a welcomed return that The Slits have reformed and released their first full length album in over 25 years. 

You couldn't ask for better timing for the Slits to come back into the limelight.  The radio friendly yet crass approach of Lily Allen, and the social awareness of M.I.A. is a direct result of the Slits' influence.  Formed in 1976 at the height of the British punk movement, The Slits all girl line-up forged a reggae infused punk sound that made many a wave against the "boys only" punk aesthetic.  Debut album, Cut, opened the door for Siouxsie Sioux, X-Ray Specs, and Lene Lovich; allowing them to speak up a bit louder than many of their male counter parts

 

Over 25 years later, Trapped Animal enters the scene as a fresh and vital set of songs that in no way sounds dated.  In fact, the reoccurring themes of woman's empowerment, child abuse, and social equality is quite refreshing against the current crop of indifferent Brooklyn "A Certain Ratio" copy cats.  Ari Up lets her signiture freakiness out on tracks like "Peer Pressure" and pulls in the reigns for some lazy island shade on the sublime "Cry Baby."

 

Trapped Animal is a reunion album that actually works.  And that's a big step because they never really do.  But time has been kind to the Slits' legacy.  The signiture sound of their past is tapped into well, but at the same a laid back chill takes charge of that sound for the better of the band.   Ahead of their time, before their time, lost in time if you will.