Something tells me that the guys in SLIDE are not afraid to speak their mind. Which is a good thing, because the lyrics of Auto Tune Massacre go straight from the hearts of the band members right into your soul…. sometimes in a harsh light, sometimes in a fun light, but always with a healthy dose of “stop and think about this for a moment.” Those afraid of brutal honesty might want to take a deep breath before diving in.
I’m not sure exactly how to describe the sound of SLIDE, but I think the best arena to place it in would be guitar-heavy alternative rock/pop/electronic music. With a huge chunk of bonus dance remixes tacked on at the end (seven on the physical CD, six on the digital version). You may think that hearing seven remixes might get boring, but Mdavsto is a master remix artist and even being a minimal electronic fan I still found myself enjoying all of it.
So I guess the biggest question you are asking is “I have heard some songs from SLIDE in the past, so I know exactly what to expect right?” Yes and no. Half of the (non-remix) songs have been out before – four singles and one Partridge Family cover. The four previously released singles have all been upgraded – some slightly, some majorly. “January” sounds almost like an entirely different song. If possible, these songs have gone to a whole new level with these upgrades. The never-before-heard songs live up to the new level, and The Partridge Family cover is just cool. I still find “Dime Store Queer” to be the highlight of the album – such a catchy song with a much needed message. But then they go and save the best for last. Or, kind of last. The closing (non-remix) song “Auto Tune Massacre” in many ways serves as a good summary of the album as a whole, decrying the trend in modern society to give up real life interactions for fake digitized copycat methods.
The band is incredibly tight all around, the vocals are spot-on, and the production is crisp and clear. You would be hard pressed to find a better album out this year on a major label that satisfies like this independent gem.
[2012 Independent | Purchase: slidemusicgroup.com]
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I have known the guitarist, Chris Berry, since 1976. I have had the privelige of seeing him develop musically through out the years. I was so happy when I heard that he joined SLIDE. I would get some glimpses of the music and I was reminded by Chris that the album was going to be rockin. No doubt about it. I saw the band perform at the Orange HIlls Restaurant for the album release event. The entire band is totally cool and they have a lot to offer the world.
John McKay