Putting bands in neat little boxes is a pretty efficient way to streamline in a world where absolutely everything is but a click away. We’re into this, we’re not so fussed about that - snap judgements, easy come, easy go.
Slaves’ first two albums showed a band with a definite schtick. Abrasive, in your face, short and sharp, within three minutes you could choose your poison, make your choice. Staggeringly effective at what they did, what followed would sit within those same lanes. Previous judgements would still apply.
Until they don’t.
‘Cut And Run’ marks a new chapter for Isaac and Laurie. They’re still living in a world of scrappy, scuzzy punk, but the undertones have changed. With both members providing vocals, they’ve morphed into something subtly but substantially different.
That constantly propelling beat - always Slaves’ strongest point - remains, but everything above it has blossomed. In truth, the deliberately repetitive refrain, constantly distorting guitar line and lazy day middle section could come straight from a relative of Damon Albarn's late 90s Britpop revulsion. A blend of brute force and deliberate action, it fits them well.
The accompanying video mirrors the track perfectly. From confusion to morbid fascination, through to active participation, by the time they’re done, those boxes are strewn aside.
Slipping out the back door of those narrow definitions, one song may not be enough to change perceptions on a grander scale by itself, but with a whole album to follow, the evolution of Slaves is on.
