Close My Eyes

The Slackers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 9, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Hellcat Records
• ASIN: B0000BWVMX
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #186,452 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worthy of the Slackers, September 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Close My Eyes (Audio CD)

I eagerly awaited the release of Close My Eyes and rushed out to buy it. I wasn't expecting what I heard at all. It sounds quite different from their earlier stuff, but, nevertheless, it's a good album. Close My Eyes is more toned down than the Slackers' other music, though it still mantains the energy and soul of a skanking classic so central to the Slackers' style. The album also sports a slightly modified band lineup (Ruggiero leading of course and Lyn also on vocals) with subtle trombone and tenor sax sans trumpet.
My advice to all loyal Slackers fans is to buy Close My Eyes because it truly is a good album and it's a new phase in the band's evolution. But to listeners new to the Slackers and especially those new to Ska, I would recommend getting The Question and/or Redlight, arguablly their best work.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!!, December 3, 2003

By 

The Greatest (Nowhere Land) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Close My Eyes (Audio CD)

The title of my review says it all. I have every Slackers studio album, all of which are well worth the money, but this has to be my favorite. There isn't a single bad song on here. The production is crisp and clear without being glossy (excellent), and everyone seems extremely focused (especially Vic, whose voice, lyrics, and catchy melodies are in absolute top form here). Also, there were a few personnel changes (the departures of longtime drummer Luis Zuluaga and trumpeter Jeremy Mushlin). The absence of trumpet gives the band an even more mellow sound, which is very good.

The opening drum solo of "Shankbon" is all it takes to get you hooked on this album. Listen to the masterful trombone and sax solos and the great swing/ska rhythms on this, the best instrumental they've ever done. Next comes "Old Dog," with a great reggae beat and cool harmonica work. "Axes" is another great song to which you'll be singing along before the first verse is over. "Bin Waitin" is very good, but doesn't really stand out much.

This is followed by Marq's only lead, "Real War," a slow, soulful reggae song with the best lyrics on the album. It's followed by "Lazy Woman," another slow, smooth, insanely catchy reggae track. The guys pick up the pace on "Mommy," a great contrast of bright, happy melody and sad lyrics. The intro to "Don't Wanna Go" sounds a lot like Hepcat's "Rudies All Around." Maybe this is why the song doesn't really grab me. Yet another slow reggae song, "Who Knows," is next, and contains my favorite lyric (a reminder to 'Don't pet squirrels in the park'). The album comes to a close with title track, soulful and catchy, then my absolute favorite "I'll Stay Away" that reminds me of early Drifters songs, and a decent dub track that (unfortunately) ends the album on its weakest note.

All in all, The Slackers make an excellent comeback from the inconsistent "Wasted Days," reclaiming their position as my favorite band, and reminding everyone they are THE premiere ska band out there.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Weaker production makes for better Ska, January 21, 2005

By 

Marc A. Coignard (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Close My Eyes (Audio CD)

I thought I had reviewed this album when it came out, but apparently no. I hadn't listened to it in a while until a couple days ago, and I was stunned that I hadn't had in my CD player in so long. Chances are, this is the best Slackers album since Redlight, and although musically it is far and away different, the touch and feel of the albums are more similar to each other than The Question or Wasted Days.

Orignally, when I the albums came out, I felt that The Question was one of the best albums I'd heard by the Slackers. Years later, The Question hasn't really stood the test of time with me. Redlight, on the other hand, which I payed little attention to after its first year, is once again becoming a favorite of mine. Why the change, and why did Close My Eyes suddenly peak its head out and thrust itself back into my active CD collection? I blame production. Redlight and Close My Eyes have a certain feel to them that reminds me of listening to some of those Trojan Reggae/Ska comps that feature poorly produced songs that were recorded in crummy studios in an under-developed country 30 to 40 years ago--and thats how I like it to sound. Although the production isn't as bad as those, the feeling it gives seems more throwback and less like its trying to compete with modern ska tracks by more "mainstream" ska bands of the nowadays. The Question, on the other hand, suffers from being rather un-even and overproduced. Apart of me thinks too many songs were thrown on that one in order to make an album that us fans would one-day call "their best," which I had done myself for some time. But, I feel like the Slackers are at their best when they dim the lights, allow cigarette and pot smoke to cloud the microphones, and drink heavy rums while recording albums. Its a bar-room, downtown type of Ska that is lost these days. I've always said that Hepcat is my favorite Ska band, but since that band is no longer, The Slackers are the ones for me--they're still out there, doing their thing, and doing it the best. May they continue to tour, hitting the dive bars and getting drunk on stage, and may they continue to produce traditional style (sound and production) Ska that hasn't been handled properly by any one else in years. Thank you Vic and company for keeping Ska alive.