Customer Reviews

Slippage

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Slobberbone seems to have abandoned their twang on this record. How unfortunate. Their first three albums were among my all time favorites and I loved the combination of distorted guitars and country elements. This record is pretty much a straightforward hard rock record. The songs themselves, in my opinion are not as strong as previous releases. If you're a die-hard slobberbone fan, then by all means pick it up. If you are looking to buy your first slobberbone cd, please get another one instead.

That may sound like hyperbole, but it's damn close to the truth, as the boys from Denton, Texas, are at least neck-and-neck with Athens' own Drive-By Truckers. And with their fourth album to date, Brent Best and his wooly comrades lay down a solid slab of high-octane, emotion-filled rock and roll that'll part your hair while ripping your heart out at the same time.
From the Neil-Young-meets-English-Beat opener "Springfield" to the melancholy, wistful "Back" that closes the album, SLIPPAGE is chock full of sharp, insightful songwriting and full-bore gonzo playing. Best is the type of songwriter who holds nothing back, even the scary stuff, and it's when he's at his most disconcerting he's at his strongest. Like Warren Zevon, you don't know whether to laugh or back away slowly at "Stupid Words". What first seems like a run-of-the-mill - if still brilliant - late-night phone call to an erstwhile lover descends literally into serial killer madness. You go rapidly from "Hey, he's been reading my mail" to "Oh, dear". Brent's good at stuff like this, and equally disturbing is the blood-filled character sketches on the aptly titled "Butchers".
The world of Slobberbone is a dark one, full of loss and pain, that instead of evoking pity or sympathy, you fill as if you share the pain. It's not a sharing in the touchy-feely kind of way; rather, Brent Best is singing the pain you know all too well. Best of all, the rest of the band separates the 'Bone's internal dialogues from whiny emo nonsense with full-bore rock and roll. Guitarist Jess Barr rips and snarls with six-string brother Best, while drummer Tony Paul Harper keeps a step-and-a-half ahead of long, tall bassist Brian Lane for a truly locomotive rhythm section. In other words, it's sensitive stuff but it's also loud and sweaty.
There are some beautiful songs on SLIPPAGE, too, from the devastating "Down Town Again" to the cutting "Find The Out" and, most of all, the achingly lovely "Sister Beams". Best has a knack for recasting stereotypical song themes into beautiful new creatures with a touch that has less to do with traditional songwriting and more with storytelling.
Finally, for those with a bent sense of humor, Slobberbone takes the Bee Gees nugget "To Love Somebody" and makes it their own. Of course, if you're like me, you think wishfully that Brent heard versions by James Carr or Hank Williams Jr. and hope for the best. Either way, it's damn fine cover of a damn good song.
SLIPPAGE is a stunning effort by a continually evolving band. After every Slobberbone album, I have to say "They can't get better than this," but they always do. Now, Drive-By Truckers...let's see if you can top it.

OK...Slippage may not be EYTWRWWT...but it's still a great CD. And yes while it has less country influence than earlier stuff, it's still Slobberbone! And to appreciate them you have to see them live. A blistering band! And to see them live in a 150 person club...well...they burn the house down. As for the "filler" madolin/violin...only when they are in TX. Those guys are form Centro-matic. However, right now (saw them 12-14) Will Johnson Centro-matic lead singer is opening and the Centro-matic keyboard/violin player is playing with Slobberbone. Of the 1/2 dozen shows...this one was it. As for a first CD...I still think it's Barrel Chested.

Slippage was my first sojourn into the world of the mythical Denton, Texas band known as Slobberbone. From the first song "Springfield, IL." one knows they are in for a fun and fantastic rock n' roll ride. Brent Best, the front man/songwriter/guitarist extraordinaire really shows he possesses quite possibly the best voice in all of rock n' roll today. His husky voice soaked in gravel and cigarette smoke soars consistently throughout the album. The melodies on this album are truly engaging and work so well with many of the repetitive rhyme schemes used in the lyrics. In lesser hands those very same rhyme schemes might sound silly but not with the boys of Slobberbone at the helm. This album completely rocks and still takes time to actually say something and I find myself liking it even more with every listen. Strong and consistent songwriting is something many times not seen in rock today but Best is one hell of a songwriter. The only flaw I found on this album is that sometimes the best instrument in the Slobberbone arsenal gets drowned out, that being the voice of Brent Best. Slippage has made me a believer and sooner or later I will be purchasing all of their older work and most likely raving about it endlessly.

Their last effort, Everything You Thought ...etc., was a little slice of alt country roots rock perfection. So at first listen to Slippage, the absence of banjo and mandolin behind that viscous electric guitar is disconcerting. But once you realize that the goal here was to make a similarly definitive ROCK record, you see that they nailed it. The songwriting is a notch better, if that is even possible. There is only one song on here I skip, and I know many others love that one. This CD hasn't left my player in 2 weeks. "Find The Out" alone is worth the price. Buy it. You will love it.

I initially disliked this CD. However, it has started to grow on me. Basically, it is Slobberbone for the masses. MUCH more mainstream production. Also, I don't think the songwriting is up to par with their other albums. If you are unadventurous, start with this one. If you want their best, go with Everything I Thought Was Wrong... Of course, if you are already a fan, you will want this anyway (and probably already have it).

Slobberbone's (a reference to a dog toy) last album, the genre-defying 'Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong Today' was as close to perfection an alt-country album can be. With 'Slippage' the band's latest, the band has abandoned the country element in their music and focused primarily on the "rock". Gone are the mandolins, the banjoes, and the accordians that have been on previous records. In it's place are guitars that signify rock music, in all it's simple glory. As exciting as this sounds, the consistency of 'EYTWRWWT' set a bar that they just don't reach here on 'Slippage'. Maybe in fact, it is the loss of those instruments stated above that detract from the songs a little. There are some really great songs that rank up there with the band's best, like: Springfield, IL, Sister Beams, and The BeeGees cover 'To Love Somebody'. They are a great live band, are America's best "unknown" band, and this is a great rock record, but to really grasp how great this band is, I would purchase 'Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong Today'. It's a better record, and it's more indicative of their live show, which they do include banjo and mandolin in their performance.

I had to give this one a 4/5 starts because I had to listen to it about 75 times before it finally got hooked into my brain. That's partially my fault because I have to be at the right place in my life for certain music to have meaning to me.

But the songwriting on this CD is fantastic. Lyrically, I love the different takes on life shown in the song, "Butchers." "Write Me Off" sounds as if it could have been pulled off of Soul Asylum's "Hang Time" if Bob Mould had crafted the lyrics and sang the song himself. The lyrics are clever.

The cover of "To Love Somebody" fits in nicely with the other material topic-wise. The use of piano/organ is nice as well. The overall feel of the album is pleasant and rocking, usually in different spots.

I would recommend this album if you enjoy great lyrics and medium-tempo rockers. This is a great soundtrack for small towns in the midwest, especially around the Oklahoma area.

This album give you a sense of the vitality in this band. If you have seen bob mould live you will love this band live. Their writing and energy is reminiscent of the past yet give hope for rock in the days to come.

Slobberbone is simply the best unknown band out there. Period. Their first three cd's were amazing and they put on a great live show (you need to see them when they come to your area!). Their latest offering, Slippage, is also a must own and should put the band on the map. So check out Slippage as well as their other offerings (Crow Pot Pie, Barrel Chested and Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong Today) - these cd's never leave my disc changer!