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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Cut

The Slits

1979

Buy At Rough Trade
Cut
Album Summary

Cut is the debut studio album by English punk band The Slits, released on 7 September 1979. It was recorded at Ridge Farm Studios in Rusper and produced by Dennis Bovell.

Wikipedia

Rating

2.74

Votes

10432
Genres
Punk

Reviews

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Thu Apr 29 2021
2

I read several positive reviews for this album because I was trying to understand it. Nearly all of them mentioned its influence and apologized for the sub-par musicianship. I'm sure they inspired a lot of people, but if the music isn't good, I'm not sure I need to hear it before I die. I can't imagine getting hit by a bus and my last thought being, "But I never got to that album from The Slits!" Best track: Adventures Close To Home

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Thu Jun 24 2021
1

I found that I was relieved when my phone unexpectedly lost connection and the music was paused, I preferred the sweet sweet silence to this.

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Thu Nov 04 2021
4

I'd like to believe they went with "The Slits" as their band's name because "Gash Wound" would have been too on the nose. For review purposes, one has to include the incredible cover of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", which is officially listed as a Bonus Track and was the B-Side to "Typical Girls" (Both songs are classic 5's). It puts the album over the top for me. Make that your Side 1, Track 1 and you've got a classic album. One could add one point for the audacious album cover photo, only to learn the girl on the far left was all of 17-years old in said photo so let's call that a wash. What else? Their original drummer's name was Palmolive, who felt that posing topless for the album's cover was a bridge too far and got thrown out of the band. Apparently none other than the great Nenah Cherry provides backup vocals on this album. According to my math, Nenah would have been 15 or 16 years young at the time, which is just insane. This album is a blast.

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Tue Dec 27 2022
1

Oh good, more late 70s English punk. Again. After all the rest of it. But it's ok, I'm sure THIS one will be a masterpiece and not amateur garbage like everything else from that time. And they're called the SLITS! I'm sure that's not a reference to anything. About as subtle and sophisticated as everything else about this genre I guess. But I'm prepared to be blown away. ha ha no, it fucking sucked. 1/5.

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Mon Mar 22 2021
4

What a fun pop punk album full of reggae & ska flavours! Loved it!

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Wed Mar 10 2021
2

Not my favorite. I know that The Slits were a ground-breaking, genre-defying band and, for that alone, they deserve a place on this list. That said, this album is a total mess. There's really one good track here ("Typical Girls") and the rest is kinda noise for the sake of noise. It's okay. But it's not good punk. It's just punk.

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Thu Feb 04 2021
5

How have I never heard this??

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Fri Sep 16 2022
4

I can't help but think of Ludwig Wittgenstain's quote that "the limits of my language means the limits of my world", when I hear an album like this. It's an amazing thing, when something entirely new enters into the world, because before it there were just some unstructured inklings waiting to be connected. Then after it, there is a blueprint and a new path for anyone that wants to follow and build on it. This album is elegantly simple and spectacularly raw. The fusion of reggae/dub and punk, with an Avant Garde and art-house affect is sublime. I'd point to 'Newtown', with its punchy guitars, high-hat and tom laden drums, matchbox and dropped silverware utility percussion, and the moaning and vibrato vocals, as a perfect example of what I'm talking about. While it is uncomfortable for me to point out the importance of this also being an all-female band, because I wish we lived in a world where that wasn't something extraordinary at all, I am glad that these women were who they were, had the environments they had, and gave this music to the world. In turn, they gave the language for many in the world to move past the limits they didn't fully comprehend a way past yet.

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Wed Nov 30 2022
5

Now, here is a real classic. I love this record a lot, and their cover of "I heard it through the grapevine" is a regular feature of my DJ sets. This record genuinely sounds like nothing else. heavily influences by punk (although really presages post-punk) and reggae, it isn't really either of those things. It is its own unique and wonderful thing, with its own logic. It's angry and weird and fun. In Viv Albertine's fantastic autobiography "Clothes Clothes Clothes, Music Music Music, Boys Boys Boys" (highly recommend, worth a read) she describes the way she approached guitar, which was largely self-taught and completely fresh. She talks about how she was attracted to the treble tones of the guitar, and you can really hear it in the way that she plays. There is a an unapologetic "this is the way we choose to play" sense of what they do. Although I think there was some backlash for doing so. And this record is a wonderful and unique thing. the songs are.... different, but they always sound fresh and surprisingly and strong and relevant and beautiful within their own aesthetic framework. Punk always claimed that it was people who "couldn't play", but many bands (Pistols, Clash, etc) were in fact working within a pretty well-trodden back-to-basic rock and roll style and technique. The Slits were really something new and revolutionary. It doesn't surprise me that it took women to really break out and do something this different and extraordinary. Five stars.

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Wed Aug 10 2022
1

Well that was painful. I assume they are included in the 1001 albums as some sort of politically correct quota - "we have to have a really bad all girl punk band". I can think of no other reason for the inclusion of this drivel

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Sun Nov 05 2023
1

I wouldn't recommend this to someone if I knew they would die at some point in the future

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Fri Jul 09 2021
5

I love this album. It's so interesting and the vocals are great and the structure is fresh. Love it.

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Fri Dec 03 2021
5

Short, sweet and perfect British punk.

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Fri Dec 10 2021
5

Firstly, I wouldn't call this punk, it's a reggae album to my ears. Secondly, this is a masterpiece in uncanny irrelevance. It's just so FUN to listen to. I love the layered vocals They can't really sing, at least not in the traditional sense. But it doesn't matter. They make it work. And I love the way the bass, guitar and percussion make such a tight groove. The music is quite exotic sounding. A wonderful discovery!

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Fri Jan 21 2022
5

I know this album. Love this album. Get bothered by this album. Love this album again - and this time I realised why. It's lyrically seminal - avante garde even for 2022 - it's unique, it's powerful - rhythmically sophisticated and musically interesting. Every song has it's place in the album - but this is not an album that you listen to in the background while doing something else, this is one of those that demand your full attention. I listened to it three times in a row this time round - first while doing something else - and that kept me wondering why the hell I used to like this album - then I wore headphones, and gave it it's due attention, and there I was rewarded and realised what's so great about it. Loved it.

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Wed Nov 17 2021
2

Hier, nous avons été victimes d'un énorme soucis technique au bureau, qui m'a empêché de pouvoir écouter mes albums générés comme à mon habitude. En effet, un electricien devait venir s'assurer que le système d'alimentation de l'étage était en bon état, et effectuer quelques réglages si necessaires. Seulement, après quelques minutes passées à examiner les differents circuits électriques, la lumière de l'étage commença à crépiter, pour ensuite clignoter. Après quelques minutes, nous étions plongés dans la pénombre. Pas d'inquiètude cependant, puisqu'un professionnel était déjà sur place, il devait sûrement tester la robustesse du système. Après plusieurs dizaines de minutes sans lumière, je me rendis à la cuisine pour chercher un verre d'eau. Quelle ne fut pas ma surprise: la cuisine était absolument inondée. Soudain, je fut pris d'un flash mental très puissant. Je me rendis au bureau de mon directeur, et lui demandais des informations sur la société de maintenance des locaux de notre étage. Un brin surpris, il me dit que la société en question était intitulée "Die Türe AG". Commençant à comprendre, je me rendis dans la salle électrique, et y découvrit une carte de visite laissée par l'electricien: Joachim Mörrisone, Elektriker. Je partis alors dans un franc rire, m'exclaffant: "Ahahahah, sacré Jim".

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Sun Dec 31 2023
2

No. 83/1001 Instant Hit 3/5 So Though 3/5 Spend, Spend, Spend 2/5 Shoplifting 2/5 FM 2/5 Newtown 2/5 Ping Pong Affair 2/5 Love Und Romance 2/5 Typical Girls 3/5 Adventures Close To Home 2/5 Average: 2,3 Didn't like their style at all.

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Sun Dec 18 2022
1

Was hat dieser Schrott auf der 1001 Albenliste verloren?

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Wed Jan 12 2022
5

I have never been aware of the band THE SLITS before, although I am a fan of the Punk and Post-Punk era of music. I believe part of the reason is that the band is known for me is that they are from the UK and are probably unknown in the US. Also, being an all-girl group also probably contributed to the lack of awareness with the male punk groups grabbing the headlines and making the reviews. After listening to CUT, I must say it is excellent. The use of dub music reminds me of Public Image Limited which formed later and being an all-girl group really impresses me now. They should be as well known as the boys were. Their music is fun, catchy and probably groundbreaking with the use of dub. This is one is the reason why I am going to enjoy joining the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is to listen to music that I am barely aware of and give me a deeper appreciation. THE SLITS are no longer falling through the cracks in my book. In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, this was the only album issued in the book. Rate Artist: THE SLITS (5) Rate Album (Year): CUT (1979 Original) (4.5) Rate Album (Year): CUT (2000 UK CD Reissue with Bonus tracks) (4.5) Rate Album (Year): CUT (2009 UK 2CD Deluxe Edition) (5)

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Thu Feb 03 2022
5

fierce, female, fabulous, five stars

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Sat Feb 05 2022
5

eu gostei muito e não conhecia <3

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Sun Mar 13 2022
5

Reminded me of Dresden Dolls, energetic “post punk”. Apparently Kurt Cobaon really like track “Typical Girls”.

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Thu Aug 11 2022
5

absolutely loved this album. Had never even heard of this band before but you can here the influence on Blondie it had

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Wed Sep 21 2022
5

Known about this album for years, never listened. Love the “dubbiness“ of these songs.

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Wed Oct 26 2022
5

Brazen and brace. I am a massive Clash and Sex Pistols fan but wish the legacy of the Slits was as revered. Punky, reggae ska and pop thrown in a blender. From what I've read they copped a lot of abused and threats which to me makes the righteously dangerous

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Thu Dec 08 2022
5

This was awesome. Raw, frantic energy that kept me drawn in the entire way thru. This is the first album out of 60 where I was completely unaware of the artist and scored a 5. It made me think of Entertainment by Gang of Four so I was curious and looked up the release dates, Wild to see Cut came out Sept. 7 1979 only a few weeks before Entertainment Sept. 25 1979. This had an almost primal feeling to it, I peeked up from the first song and was in for the ride all the way thru. Albums like these re-energize me for this 1001 journey. 5 stars

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Thu Dec 15 2022
5

Legendary band and album but is it any good? Well it's FUN but not Punk but more New Wave Reggae/Ska which is really sketchy but enjoyable. Musically tight with interesting lyrics. It's amazing that records like this got made and infuenced others. It deserves a place on the 1001.

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Thu Dec 15 2022
5

I absolutely loved every single moment of this, I can't believe I'd never listened to the Slits before because they're definitely a new favourite! I love how rough around the edges everything is and how genuine each moment seems. Top tracks: So Tough, Shoplifting, Ping Pong Affair, and Typical Girls

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Sun Mar 26 2023
5

Fantastic listen for the whole album. A ska soaked masterpiece. I had no idea that The Slits had influenced so many outfits that followed. Grrrl power in proto form. I'll be suggesting this record to some folks.

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Sun Apr 09 2023
5

When I think of post-punk I think of this. Such a unique sound. Like The Shaggs raised on punk and reggae.

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Wed May 24 2023
5

Wonderful oddball punk. Short and snappy. Some great songs, best being Typical Girls. And some magnificent shouting. Wonder if they'd be thought of on a par with the Clash and Sex Pistols if they were men?

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Mon Jun 19 2023
5

Hoe krijgt dit album gemiddeld een 2,7?!

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Sun Aug 13 2023
5

Was so happy to see this come up, this is an album I have loved for years. Seen the slits condescended with such accusations as not being proper musicians but this is a truly groundbreaking album, and sounds better than anything the sex pistols put out

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Sun Aug 13 2023
5

Really Good, from start to finish. Instant hit is an instant hit!

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Fri Aug 18 2023
5

I really enjoyed this entire album and although I had heard of the Slits, I had never heard any of their music. This is the kind of stuff I was hoping to hear when I started doing this.

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Mon Sep 18 2023
5

I’d heard of The Slits, thought they would be a challenge, wasn’t expecting this at all. It’s loads of fun, incredibly catchy post-punk/ska.

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Fri Nov 17 2023
5

good weird. instant hit fm newtown ping pong affair love und romance typical girls adventures close to home

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Mon Dec 25 2023
5

That cover and the description of this album had me feeling like this might not be for me. WRONG! Definitely for me. Perfectly unique! Terrific!

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Mon Dec 25 2023
5

Unique and interesting sound! I've long been curious about this band. Really enjoyed their take on I Heard It Through the Grapevine (bonus track).

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Sun Jan 07 2024
5

Was not expecting to fuck with this so hard. Björk but punk pop and… reggae??

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Tue Jan 30 2024
5

An amazing find. Awesome debut. Seems this album is very polarizing. I can see why it’s influential, and while most people seem to dislike this album, I love it. Greta example of early punks.

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Fri Feb 16 2024
5

You hate to see a banger album with such a low rating on here, I get it though, the weird post-punk stuff isn't for everyone. I love it though. The way the songs just flow from part to part, the wild vocals all over the place, sick basslines, it's so much fun to listen to. 'Shoplifting' and 'Typical Girls' are just straight up bangers, along with the amazing 'Heard it Through the Grapevine' cover. I hope nobody turned off the album before that one comes on at the end.

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Fri Feb 23 2024
5

10/10 holy shit, I already have a HUGE bias for post-punk, it’s one of my favorite genres, but this album really surpassed my expectations it’s really insane just how creative and diverse this project is I love it so much

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Tue Feb 27 2024
5

Loved the hits for decades but never listened to the full record. Randomly got to see Ari Up perform at a party in Brooklyn, back in the 00s. She was tall and elegant, with no makeup and dreds to the floor. Cooler than cool could ever hope to be. This record is better than expected. Apparently, Bjork’s been channeling Ari Up, all along. The influence of The Slits is far broader than I’d realized. There’s something about Heard It Through the Grapevine that makes it one of the best covers of all time. And the original is immaculate. This version surpasses the typical karaoke style to make it feel fresh and reverential. Another one of those albums that improves with age. Hard to remember this was just a few teenage girls in 1979. Very clever work.

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Wed Mar 06 2024
5

Quirky and silly, it's a fun listen all throughout. A fusion of the absurdity of post-punk with dub and tribal instruments to give it a mystical sound. As a fan of reggae and New Wave, this was an instant like for me. Very accessible but also artsy, it's an inviting listen for anyone to very quickly enjoy this on the first listen. The female vocalists are so fun, making all sorts of noises that work in the context of the album. They compliment each other well, whether as harmonious back vocals or to conflict and cause chaos. I enjoy how everyone plays. Whether that's the New Wave guitar, the sporadic drumming, or the groovy bassline. All 10 tracks are unique and memorable. It's only a half hour long, so with all the crazy ideas, it really flies by. The bonus tracks are great too! "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a strong and creative cover. As a lover of reggae, "Liebe and Romanze" was nice to listen to. And the Brink style dub version of "Typical Girls" was also fun, but could be a bit difficult for some.

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Wed Mar 06 2024
5

It’s a banger, boys. Like Gwen Stefani singing David Byrne lyrics over a Frank Zappa punk record.

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Thu Mar 07 2024
5

Punk was meant to be the nail in the coffin of what came before. When it proved itself to be bastardized into becoming more of the same, a newer more radical world opened up. Which was where The Slits operated. Presenting themselves as unabashedly experimental, free-form, chaotic and innovative as their largely male brethren, The Slits provided a cut (hehe) of what they were capable of. The carefree environment is wonderfully represented throughout and it doesn't feel neither pastiche or forced. It honestly comes as no surprise that Cut made it's influence apparent in the years and decades after its release, most notably far away in the Pacific Northwest. And for good reason, for this is the sound of those who come to the power of their potential and decide to wield it for maximum good.

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Fri Mar 08 2024
5

This is so good I can't believe this was recording in 1979 especially when thinking of how different this is to the 1980 Steve Winwood album. I certainly have come across these gals before and I'm a fan. So hard to pick a fave from this album but maye Instant Hit, So Tough, Fm, Newtown, Ping Pong Affair.

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Wed Mar 13 2024
5

Man so much fun I love early punk stuff. I also (due to alphabetical seating) sat behind someone with a The Slits patch on her jacket for every exam I did in high school and it's very satisfying to finally give a proper listen and enjoy it. Finding out they didn't really know how to play the instruments makes sense lol but they made so much with so little at their disposal and I think that's the absolute pinnacle of what music can, and is supposed to be. I may not come back to this album too much but it easily gets 5 stars for being a representation of why I love music so much.

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Thu Mar 21 2024
5

pre listening notes: just listened to the new cmbc on Carrie Brownstein/Sleater Kinney and i’m excited to listen to a female punk rock band! even if it’s like 20 years before Sleater Kinney. also i always joke to my sisters that if they see i’m listening to british punk it means i’m not doing well. Let’s gooooo. Instant Hit - woah this is.. reggae? what are they doing here. i haven’t heard anything like this before So Tough - i wonder if this song is about the same guy from before? interesting to me that they’re singing about men. very experimental sounding, the lead singers voice sounds very raw, almost like she didn’t warm up Spend, Spend, Spend - good to know that in the late seventies, consumerism was still destroying our lives as much as now Shoplifting - a great song to follow up spend lol. this is so fun actually. this is my fav one so far, the energy is palpable FM - who is going to tell the slits that fm doesn’t stand for frequent mutilation.. i honestly think this song relates to the present day in a way that is kind of insane? this song is over 40 years old but i still can’t help but wonder what is feeding my screen & waiting for todays transmission to give me the solution. i sound like a stoner. Newtown - back to reggae! i don’t care for the lyrics so much but i LOVE the way this song sounds, particularly in the second half. we need another fix! catchy. would listen again! Ping Pong Affair - i feel like this song in particular has had an influence on the girl punk scene (which like, i get referring to it with “girl” in the front is reductive but hear me out). i also like the message of this song tbh, fuck a man and his comics. this song follows a girl post breakup and i have personally related to so much of it Love Und Romance - they talk about Babylon a lot. what was going on back then. it’s also funny to have a song like this following a breakup tune. it kind of reads like a joke in the context of the rest of the album. again, Up’s vocals are so wild. Typical Girls - the message of this one is revolutionary for the time! i can see the influence on lager music here as well. i love the question “who invented typical girl?” and calling the idea of being a typical girl a marketing scheme because it is! god, sometimes i need to listen to stuff like this to realize that the capitalist critique i feel daily is not new. it’s a system that feels unnatural to live in. there’s a binchtopia ep where they talk about how the “teenage girl” was literally created to be marketed to. so much of what society considers a woman to be is a consumer. anyway, the song itself is also a bop. second fav on the album after Newtown (did i mention i like newtown more than shoplifting?) might be tied!! Adventures Close To Home - sometimes girls should be allowed to be crazy and selfish. idk! I Heard It Through The Grapevine - this song seems to be from the perspective of a man whose girlfriend is planning on leaving him for another man. and it’s a fucking BOP, feels of it’s time. this is their most streamed song on spotify and i understand, it is definitely the most easily digestible, i’m very used to hearing men moan about women. and as i said before it’s a bop. def a fav! Liebe and Romanze (Slow Version) - musical noise. i wonder what the not slow version sounds like. i will use this time to review the album overall! I feel like i wrote a lot more for this one than others but it just came to me at a good time and is a breath of fresh air after Kings of Leon.. sorry not sorry. this album was unique and inventive and not always my personal taste but had some certifiable bangers and it’s influence on other bands i like and respect is palpable. especially knowing the background of the band and that the people in it (thinking about Up in particular) we’re young and inexperienced musicians who just got out there and did the thing. like Abbey Road, I’m glad to have listened to it!! feels like music history. 5/5

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Wed Mar 27 2024
5

I loved this from the opening track, “Instant Hit.” It was so not what I was expecting, but so fun, distinctive, bizarre, and imaginative. Their sound is a unique amalgamation of Talking Heads, The Cranberries, The Sugarcubes, and The Police. Or like The Shaggs if they were actually good. I feel like half the people in the reviews didn’t actually listen to this album. They talk like all punk music sounds the same. That’s bullshit. Punk has got to be one of the most varied subgenres of rock. I guess I can see not liking this, but it’s unfair to say they “lacked musicianship” or were just making noise—that is clearly not true. But as T-Swift once said, the haters gonna hate. I loved this album, and their cover of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” is better than the CCR version (and I love CCR).

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Thu Apr 04 2024
5

I like it. Kinda bouncy sometimes. Kind crazy other times. Good listen. Looked for more and was disappointed by how little I found.

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Sun Apr 21 2024
5

This has to be the best music ever made by a white person who grew dreads. (are there even any other contenders...?) Clear vision, inventive, invigorating. What more can you ask for? They sound a fair bit like the Raincoats tilted more aggressive, upbeat & silly, and I think I will mostly continue to go listen to the Raincoats instead. but like the Raincoats this is as cool as it gets. There's plenty of art of all kinds that takes itself too seriously, plenty that's irreverent & not much else. Every once in a while there's something that takes both itself and its audience the exact right amount of seriously to be fun, a little challenging, moving. music: rules. (⌐■_■)

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Fri Jun 18 2021
4

Guitar and bass provide a consistent road over which the percussion and vocals coast and swerve. And that percussion comes through in that this is a highly percussive album. Not hammering to the ears, though; There's plenty of energy here but the band is discursive while they are always together. The result is music both tight and loose, a sound that comes close to others but is always its own and good at it.

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Sun Nov 01 2020
4

Great album. What struck me was how much the songs changed, in-song. Great listening album, with bits and pieces popping up to raise your interest. Grapevine, obv, plus Newton and Instant Hit were the big ones for me.

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Thu Jan 28 2021
4

As JF said, not bad at all, definitely could re-listen with the right context (African girls dancing around me ideally)

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Mon Feb 08 2021
4

This is just a great record that was so ahead of its time.

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Fri Jul 09 2021
4

Found this really unique, love the singing style. Excellent cover of Grapevine as well

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Mon Jan 18 2021
4

Loved this album. Like a female version of Talking Heads. Recent artists reminds me of are Remi Wolf and Nilüfer Yanya. First song comes in hot.

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Mon Feb 08 2021
4

Never heard this before but really enjoyed it.

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Mon Feb 08 2021
4

I thought L7 was the original merry prankster all girl band but credit to the Slits! Loved "shoplifting". They sound like a less manufactured version of the Clash.

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Thu Mar 25 2021
4

Weird interesting out of tune vibes

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Wed Feb 03 2021
4

Rock meets reggae meets world music. The Slits were more punk than all the boys.

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Fri Mar 05 2021
4

I'm so glad we met by chance

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Sun Jun 06 2021
4

The Slits know how to throw down and rock. They have a funky sound while still raging for traditional punk sound. Hearing them perform this album opening for The Clash would have been a bonkers show. One of my favorite punk albums.

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Fri Oct 01 2021
4

Lots of fun from beginning to end. I love punky girls. That Grapevine cover is a hoot.

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Thu Nov 04 2021
4

Continued on into the bonus tracks with no complaints from me. Good album.

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Thu Dec 09 2021
4

Manchmal arg chaotisch, aber ich mags trotzdem.

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Fri Dec 10 2021
4

Been meaning to listen to this band for years and they did not disappoint. Incredible baselines and great lyrics delivered with great shakey effect making his a banging listen which I will defo revisit. Made me want to pogo in the air and shout 'Oi' take down the establishment and give everyone a hug.

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Wed Feb 09 2022
4

These ladies are fun. I’m a sucker for female-driven punk - something about it is just MORE punk to me. This was good, sloppy 70s punk, but they were savvy enough to show some flashes of really crafty licks and arrangement that showed like, “yeah, we know how to play we just don’t give a shot because we’re punk. Badass.

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Wed Feb 23 2022
4

Really cool marriage of reggae rhythms with punks sensibilities./ did attitude. 4 🌟

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Sun Apr 10 2022
4

The mixing early on was a bit off but I really enjoyed it!

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Wed May 18 2022
4

Génial Prefs: Instant Hit, So Tough, Shoplifting, FM, Ping Pong Affair, Love Und Romance, Typical Girls, Adventures Close To Home, I Heard It Through The Grapevine Moins pref: Newtown

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Sun Jul 10 2022
4

Love the Slits. No dogs in space do a really solid podcast on them, and how important they happened to be for the genre as a whole, even thoughts it's not strictly punk.

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Wed Jul 13 2022
4

-Fast high hats & nice singing in "So Tough" -Cool bass groove and catchy chorus in "FM" (song that says "Frequent Mutilation" a bunch) -"Adventures Close To Home" has some catchy bass and an interesting enough baseline -"I Heard It Through The Grapevine" has a very strong bass line and I like the passion in the lyrics of the chorus, as well as the bongo blast in a later chorus -"Liebe And Romanze" was actually a pretty cool slow, grooving instrumental. I actually liked the 2 bonus tracks the most... -A weaker 4, but pleasant and interesting ideas. I don't have much desire to go back but I feel it separated itself from the 3's enough

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Fri Jul 22 2022
4

Kinda fun until the last track

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Thu Aug 11 2022
4

I liked this a lot (not just for the album cover). Some of the lyrics weren’t that great, but a lot of them were solid. Just fun.

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Thu Sep 08 2022
4

Early manifestation of Bjork fusion, edge and creativity in terms of instrumentation, experimentation of vocals…but infused with more punk.

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Fri Sep 16 2022
4

Not enough from the era with female,pov

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Thu Sep 22 2022
4

I mean, it's not really my genre, but it sounded so weird.. I loved it. Never heard this kind of polyphony (maybe?) before in a song

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Fri Sep 30 2022
4

Enjoyed it quite a lot! Can hear the reggae/Ska sound in it that was punk at the time right?

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Wed Nov 30 2022
4

Sometimes there’s no explaining why you like an album so much. For me, Cut is a total one-off. Of it’s time, it contains The Slits debut single, Typical Girls, released at the same time as the album, and one of the defining tracks of the punk/post-punk era. The flip-side of Typical Girls is one of the greatest cover versions of all time - their crack at Marvin Gaye’s I Heard It Through The Grapevine. But the album is not an easy listen - it depends on dub & reggae but it’s weird, it’s shambolic, to say the least (like so much post-punk music). But it’s never boring and, hey, Side 2 opens with a track called Newtown. I saw the reformed band at the Gaelic Club in 2007, and there’s no denying they were all over the shop, but they were bloody entertaining. See if you can find the episode of Spicks & Specks that Ari Up appeared on during that tour & you’ll have some idea how crazy she could be on stage. I walked out of the Gaelic that night, jumped straight into a cab out the front & looked at the driver - it was Blackie from the Hard-Ons. Top night.

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Wed Nov 30 2022
4

I started playing this record again about five years ago after reading Viv's terrific first memoir. It's is the result of sheer talent, idiosyncratic band members and some great punk DIY energy. I love Ari's singing, she in effect invented a whole singing style and I think old mate Bjork spent a lot of time listening to this record. Viv's guitar playing is brilliant and ditto Budgie jumping in after Palmolive split. Another interesting aspect to this record is the vocals. I'm not sure how much is Tessa and Viv, or if it is all Neneh Cherry. They are not backing vocals but a whole other vocal line that pushes up against Ari's lines, being both discordant and complementary. This record gets played in our house.

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Wed Nov 30 2022
4

The Slits fuse together post-punk and reggae pretty seamlessly on Cut. If there's one word to summarise this record, it's groove. The rhythm section that lays behind the shouty vocals and angular guitar riffs dictates the pacing and feel of each track expertly. 'Typical Girls' is the prime example; opening with this driving bass and drums which transitions into this swinging, more low key rhythm that is still forever danceable, and then returning with the piano for the chorus later in the song. 'Love Und Romance', 'Instant Hit' and 'Fm' present the most reggae like aspects of this record, which all come off as genuine renditions and incorporations of the foreign genre. There are also more stripped back and "basic" punk tunes such as 'Shoplifting' which provide further musical diversity. It's also important to commend the all female lineup aspect of The Slits, as they are grouped into the male dominated genre of post punk. I can pinpoint current bands such as 'deep tan' as taking major influence from this record. Occasionally, the band dwells on a musical idea for a little too long. 'Newtown' and 'Ping Pong Affair' become a bit of a hassle to listen to as they continue past their shelf life. There's a part of me that wishes the band diversified the lyrical focuses more, as while they represent the lifestyle of a British woman in the 70s pretty well, more socially charged lyrics would have added quite a lot to this album. There are a few other records from the same era (Entertainment! by Gang of Four, Pink Flag by Wire as examples) that provide greater lyrical insight, and as a result are more memorable in comparison. Despite its flaws, The Cut is absolutely worthy of being remembered as a post punk classic of the late 70s. It does the basics extremely well and works within its sonic limitations, whilst simultaneously embracing some unorthodox musical fusions for the time. Far from perfect, yet still really enjoyable! (First album that I've really enjoyed on here so far)

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Fri Jan 13 2023
4

Liking this more than I thought I would. Nothing intelligent to say about it, just that it was really fun to listen to. Punk and post punk have long been a musical blind spot for me so I’m excited that this generator is giving me a chance to fix that. Lots of cool sounds here, and oddly catchy stuff.

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Wed Jan 18 2023
4

Innately more drawn to punk rock’s thunderous blasts than post-punk’s subtly spaced minimalism, I’m surprised how much I enjoy this when it’s on. Dig the palm-muted guitar scratches and playful piano hits.

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Thu Jan 19 2023
4

Great punk/post-punk album, nice dub stuff too. 4 stars.

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Fri Jan 20 2023
4

Fun album. Kept me listening all the way through.

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Fri Jan 20 2023
4

Great all girl post punk band. Typical Girls and Grapevine cover the highlights.

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