Kingskin – Slug
Posted by AlMachine on Wednesday, January 13, 2010


So the cover proudly declares ‘Recorded by Steve Albini PLAY LOUD!’ it’s so prominent in fact that you initially wonder what it’s hiding…

To be fair Steve Albini is a name that is associated with shaping the face of current independent rock music having worked with Nirvana, the Pixies, and more recently the latest highly acclaimed offering from the Manic Street Preachers. Not a bad hit rate, until you think that Albini has worked on over one and a half thousand albums, so there’s going to be a few duds littering his C.V. Unfortunately this is one of those lack lustre offerings. ‘Side by Side Stereo’ sounds like a second rate Chilli Peppers track, and ‘Kid’ has something of Pearl Jam about it. Unfortunately this ‘grungy, blues driven stoner rock with a bit of funk buried just beneath the surface’, never makes you sit up and really listen, it’s merely a mish-mash of the bands influences. The problem quickly becomes apparent; the majority of these 11 tracks lack ‘sparkle’ and need a sprinkling of the ‘Wow Factor’ that you would expect from a producer such as Albini. It seems that on this occasion the producer wasn’t so ‘super’ and he must have left his mojo at home.

So to answer that initial question it’s rather dull below par rock music, that’s hiding behind that little sticker; and the London based four piece should ask for a refund!

Greg Thomas

3/10


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