Slouch - Slouch

 

Here is yet another Canadian triumph. Slouch are a trio from Ontario and they make a fair amount of noise at times, yet there is an ability to be really gentle and in between, there is some fine Melodic Pop Rock, the type that you often witness here.

I suppose you would call them Alt Rock, but there's also a lot of Slacker Rock about them. They also come across as a noisier Feeder. I really wonder why the UK doesn't produce this type of band anymore. There is, of course, a wave of Guitar bands here at the moment, but you just wish they had the balls of these three.

For all the melodic joy that is evident here, I have to say that it is the noisier offerings that appeal to me most. Clean Up Your Act is a great opener that must translate brilliantly Live. MODF is great chaotic fuzzed up sludge and all the better for it.

But I doubt many have come up with as great as Not Disappointed. It is splendid Indie Rock as catchy as catchy can be. Way She Falls follows a similar route, wonderfully melodic with a corking Guitar solo, it reminds me of some of the better Glasgow bands of the 90s who didn;t want to write Dance songs.

There is also a tender side to the trio, Dear To Me could be slowed down Britpop and when it breaks out, it doesn't go mad, keeping the melody close, holding fort until the power trio mode kicks in. It is a fine sampler to help understand the different strands of the band's output.

Small Dreams goes even further, full on Acoustic, almost Folk, the exact opposite of Slouch's template. The album provides the gritty, in your face songs that are the band's trademark sound. But there is much more that reveals the band to be no one trick pony.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

...................................