Reviewing a covers record is a weird thing. Do you review the original? The new version? The interpretation itself? Covers records in general are a mixed bag. You get the ones that go so far left of center then others that are so on point that they beg the question: “Why even bother?”
But I digress.
Boston’s Slothrust, coming off the amazing Everyone Else LP has collected the most eclectic group of songs and effortlessly infused their post-grunge sound into heavy metal classics, jazz standards, one hit wonders as well as breakout pop tunes. In other words, this is a covers album worth checking out.
From Marcy Playground and Britney Spears to Al Green and Louis Armstrong with a little Sabbath and The Turtles thrown in for good measure, each classic seamlessly fits together through Slothrust’s carefully crafted sonic narrative. “Sex And Candy” is now a downtrodden folk/Americana hybrid with Will Gorin’s drum performance threatening to steal the show at times while “Electric Funeral”, which follows, is just perfect. Akin to Melissa Auf Der Maur’s Hand Of Doom project, Leah Wellbaum still manages to put her unique vocal stamp on the track as she shreds away with a performance that’d make Tony Iommi proud.
“…Baby One More Time” has been covered a bunch to varying degrees of success but none of those previous efforts has ever sounded like Slothrust. Rough and raw with an earnest vocal performance that’s not processed and a spectacular guitar solo as Kyle Bann’s bass nicely hums along, the track will instantly become your new favorite Britney cover. Then there’s “Happy Together” which hops happily along until going way off the beaten path with a trippy jam that devolves into Welbaum’s vicious screams to close out the track.
Closing with a dreamy rendition of “Let’s Stay Together”, Slothrust prove they have the chops to take on whichever genre they want and make it their own.
Show Me How You Want It To Be will be unveiled to the masses through Dangerbird Records on November 10th. You can pre-order your very own by clicking here or here. For more on Slothrust, including where you can catch them live, click here.