Release
date: May 31st 2017. Label: APF Records. Format: CD/DD
Slick
– Tracklisting
1.Mirth Of Crows
02:43
2.Innards 04:57
3.Tended Ones 04:14
4.Tip Creature 03:56
5.Home 03:27
6.Slump 05:11
7.Straw Man 03:30
8.Worst To Come
04:50
9.Below In The Wreck
06:04
Band
Members:
Andy Preece –
Drums and Vocals
Matt Franklin –
Bass and Vocals
Simon Mayo –
Guitar and Vocals
Review
So here we have the
debut release on APF Records.
For those of you not in
the know APF is the brainchild and result of two years behind the
scenes work of Andrew "Satan" Field.
Whilst we don't know
each other particularly well (we met once at a Greenhorn show in
Manchester and we were both VERY drunk) I know well enough the Mr
Field is a staple of the North West scene and a HUGE supporter of
underground music across the UK full stop.
He's pretty much the
kinda guy you want running a label. Someone who's passionate about
the music and not just looking to make a quick buck without giving
anything back. He's already got an impressive roster with the likes
of Blind Haze and Bong Cauldron on the books.
But this review is
really about Under and their (as far as I know debut) release Slick.
The first thing that
grabs you about it is the incredible artwork courtesy of Alan O'Neil.
It's bold and garish and pretty much a neon nightmare. It's fucking
awesome is what it is.
Pressing click on the
first track "A Mirth Of Crows" I was a little taken by
surprise by what came out of the speakers. In fact I even checked
that the download was correct. It was. I'm not going to give too much
away but it's gloriously mad and I promise you'll enjoy it.
Slick is by no means
any easy release to digest. By the time I'd listened through the
first time I wasn't sure. There was plenty that I loved and plenty
that I wasn't sure about. But with repeated listens I started to get
it. Like really get it.
Standout tracks for me
being "Home" "Straw Man" and my favourite the
brooding and oppressive "Tip Creature"
The album as a whole
features elements of disgusting sludge, mad time signature's and
harsh (and really fucking harsh) vocals. There's no fat on any of the
tracks. Everything that's there is there for a reason.
I would liken this
record to an aural equivalent of a season of The Walking Dead.
There's a few bits and bobs that initially you're not sure about, but
the conclusion not only makes it worth it, but puts the bits you
weren't sure about into context and fully appreciate it as a whole.
Sometimes you put a
record on and immediately you're into it, but over time that initial
impact fades and it doesn't live up to all that early promise.
Sometimes a record, works its way into your subconscious and crawls
under (you see what I did there?) your skin and firmly implants
itself there. And that's what Under have done with this record.
I'd fully recommend you
pick up a copy as soon as you can...
Words
by Simon Ross Williams
Thanks
to APF Records for the promo. Slick is now available to buy on CD/DD
now via APF Records.
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