Reviews (page 5 of 7)
Counter to much of the presumptions about Punk today, a degree of musical knowledge and awareness was useful in the genre. To break the rules, you need to know what the rules are in the first place. Reference points are an important aspect of building a canon. So this album certainly pushes away from the over-elaborate theatricals of prog (and, in a sense, Disco), but retains a attachment to melody as the ('a', actually) motif that can hold a song in place – without feeling bound to engaging with the trope in the same way that their musical forebears did. There's something coy and endearing in Ari Up's delivery, which too marks it as not fitting the Punk consensus. Good find
A-puoli oikein hyvä, onneksi B-puolellelin on jätetty I heard it through the grapevine. Sanoisin post-punkiksi, asennetta on ja huuteluharmoniaa, joka on hauskaa.
77-vuoden punkbändi kuuntelee reggaeta ja muuta sellaista luodakseen musiikkia, joka ei ole reggaeta, mutta ehdottomasti on jotain muuta. Miten tällaiseen soundiin voi päätyä? En tiedä, ei ainakaan täysin tahallaan, mutta joka tapauksessa lopputulos houkuttelee kuuntelemaan levyä uudelleen ja uudelleen, kunnes siitä alkaa pitää. Asiaa auttaa, että levyllä on muutama helvetin kova kappale, kuten avausbiisi ja Grapevine.
I didn't like this as much as I had hoped, but I'll definitely dive into the rest of the discography.
I am a bit familiar with The Slits and I have to say I wasn't too thrilled about getting this album... but I was pleasantly surprised by it as a whole. It does sound dissonant and even amateurish at times, but strangely that also seems to add to it! It has this particular groove that I sometimes crave... not very often, but once in a blue moon. So I'm glad it exists.
I normally love spiky punky girl bands but The Slits didn’t quite do it for me. Full of attitude and a lack of polish but I just don’t think i vibed off the dub reggae sound. When their most familiar track is a cover of Heard It Through The Grapevine you have to wonder what’s wrong with the rest of this.
Just okay
Angular fun.
Not what I was expecting at all, tbh. Still sounds really fresh too.
I can see how they led the way for other acts but doesn’t mean I’ll ever listen to it again
Meh. Not for me
I'm not sure if I love or hate the music yet....but I certainly enjoyed learning about these fucking crazy, brave, independent, influential women.
Not for me
Meh
I was happy to have given this a second and third listen, for the first listen did nothing to me. The rambling half punk only did something to me with their great cover of Heard It Through The Grapevine. But the second and third listen brought forth much more of the fun that this album has. Great tunes, great attitude. Punk
Definitely enjoyed it more than I was expecting. I like that it’s so silly and quirky, but sometimes the singing gets a little too out there. Some decent cuts on it though. 5/10
weird post-punk
3.5 stars. Post-punk all female. Not a big fan of the vocals, but like the music. "Newtown" has creative instruments. Standout is "Typical Girls", "I Heard It Through The Grapevine"
Fem punk album that seems to have helped inspire others
Made no impression
I always like this sound, although it also brings to mind Gilda Radner playing Candy Slice, punk rocker... and I kinda weirdly love their cover of I Heard it Through the Grapevine.
As an album? it's okay. As a band name? it's awesome. as a cover of grapevine? it's as good as it gets
It grew on me over the course of the day. But I definitely wanted to like it more than I actually did.
It has a few decent moments, but it feels a bit lame at times.
Off-kilter, spiky songs with a feminist streak that take equal influence from punk and reggae. “Typical Girls” was a standout track for me. The bonus track cover of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” is a gem too.
I'm not entirely sure if I like this or not. I like lots of stuff from the same era/genre but The Slits have never really appealed to me. I did enjoy this listen though, and am glad to have heard it. The album has a great carefree feel to it, and I always love to hear a band enjoying themselves as they appear to be doing here. Favourite tracks include Ping Ping Affair, and of course the very quirky cover of I Heard It Through The Grapevine.
A noisy album with a reasonable amount of ska undertone. It's catchy enough in some respects. Vocals sometimes seem to be an afterthought.
I thought that the vocals on this album were really quiet, but there were a number of really enjoyable songs. Newtown and heard it through the grapevine in particular stood out. I love that on these older albums it is pretty normal to include covers of great songs (when the levee breaks by zeppelin is also a cover). I feel like this practice is one of the things that makes rap music so special, and I wish we saw more of this in other genres of modern music.
Interesting, considering how inexperienced they were at this point.
Somewhere between root reggae and post-punk. Usually not for me, but I was enjoying the vibe. Favorite track: "Instant Hit"
I appreciate where they're going with this, but it's really not all that fun to listen to. I find it a bit of an atonal hodgepodge mess, and my tolerance level is higher than most. They do get points for creativity and the scratchy, jagged guitars are pretty spot on. It's not boring. Fave Songs: FM; Newtown; Instant Hit; Ping Pong Affair
I liked it better than I thought I would. Not sure why I wasn’t excited for it as I’ve been hoping for more female artists but it was a good punk album.
Kind of a bizarre al um that I am just now beginning to appreciate . Dissonant chord progressions, strange, otherworldly vocals, great drumming and cool reggae-esque rhythms that were quite unique at the time. The songs continue to grow on me with repeat listens. 3.5 🌟 with a bullet
I dig the reggae influenced post punk sound. Favorites: "Instant Hit", "So Tough", "Typical Girls"
Listenable and uncommon
Siento que solo fue otro disco de punkyto de finales de los 70 principios de los ochenta. Me gustó la voz de la que canta y tienen buenos momentos con algo como new-wave-esco y de hecho el cover a "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" me latió bastante, pero no tanto como para hacer que el disco entero sea parte de la lista.
The kind of thing that hits me like an interesting anthropological experiment - the trenchant 70s feminism, the crazy German ululating vibrato - but it’s hard to imagine electing to listen to it for the kinds of reasons I listen to music.
This one was enjoyable but overall forgettable. It is really cool that this comes from an all-girl group as not only is this rare to see in general but also happens to be in the post-punk genre dominated by males. The Slits seemed to be having fun (I think) but the music was pretty sloppy for the most part with a lot of the tracks blending into one another. The only song that ended up standing out to me was their cover of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" which I thought was excellent. It was a great twist on the original Marvin Gaye version and surprisingly fit their style perfectly. Outside of that, I didn't find any of the other songs very memorable or catchy, but I still liked listening to them. This is probably not one I would come back to, but I can understand why it might be on this list. 2.5/5.
Was expecting some straightforward noise punk, but was pleasantly surprised by the creativity on show. It's got a bouncy, mildly chaotic energy about it that I like, and it sounds like it could've been released in the 00s. 3.5
Have we already had a Slits album? I love the bass and drums throughout this. I'm sure it wasn't, but it sounds like the album might have been written with the music being added after the lyrics and melody. The instruments drop in and out and seem to mold around the vocals. Really good Adventures Close to Home
Probably the best post punk album we’ve heard from the list yet. Very interesting musically, I think the vocals are great. It’s jarring quite a lot though. Love the moments where the piano is just atonal af.
One of the first and best post-punk punk-funk punk-dub albums. Dennis Bovell's production is great, the lyrics are witty and subversive and in Typical Girls there's an irresistible single. Absolutely of its time, very listenable.
Interesting more than good. The non-album Heard It Through The Grapevine cover is definitely where this band's sound best comes together, although that could just be down to my familiarity with the track. I think I need to live with this one for longer, but right now it's a 3.
I expected this to be a dude punk band. I was wrong. I loved this record (not just for the record cover, either!). Cool vocals, rhythms, chink-chink-sqwink guitars, and that piccolo snare! It's really just groove music with a lighter hand. I know nothing about this band but I'll revisit this record, for sure. Sounds like something you'd be tapping your foot to in a head shop while buying tapestries and incense.
Quand meme original avec de bonne reprise 3.25
Interesting...had seen many references to this album but never heard the sound before. Enjoy that it is very unique within the scheme of other post-punk albums. 3/5
nothing special, until I got to heard it through the grapevine. one of the craziest covers I've ever heard...loved it.
A new one on me. As punk goes not bad
Quite liked this, would like to listen to more of their albums and see where they go with this
The best of this album IMO: - So Tough - Newtown - Liebe And Romanze (Slow Version) Unique album. Very weird. I enjoyed it. I wonder if Björk knows this band, if she does I can hear the influence. 3.2/5
Wow - that is the sound of the Cellar Bar, B'ham Uni, 1979/80. Makes me feel there's something going on, but I'm not part of it.
cool early punk album similar to siouxie and the banshees, the female driven punk really has a different style
Björk got inspired form them!
not bad I don't love it as much as I hoped
Weird vocal; a bit ploddy. Liked the dub element, but overall pretty average!
On the line. Do Iike it?
Man, there's a whole lot going on here. First impression is like a mix of Talking Heads (vocal delivery), The Police (rhythm section), Gang of Four (jarring electric guitar lines) and pre-dating Bjork's general sense of nuttiness by DECADES. A very unique sound. Album cover rules too!
This was alright. More weird than good. My favorite song on this album was definitely 'I heard It Through The Grape Vine', however, I knew that before listening. That song was the reason I was excited for this album, and it was not that.
Noisy
nice and funny at times, cringe at others... good listen
Great name, interesting album. Have to check out some more from the Slits!
I got this album from Ed, a guy at work, and pulled one song off after listening once - Typical Girls. The Slits. Perfect name for a punk girl band and that cover art is perfectly outrageous. Ed and I worked in an open space, most of us were pretty artsy but I still felt funny about having six boobs covered in mud on my desk for everyone to see. After listening to this again, I've fallen pretty much just about where I was in 2002 on this album. Despite the reggae guitar, there's some interesting repetitive patterns that deserve another listen... but then only one more. To quote Billy Waldman "I hate reggae music. I hate it." Two tracks that stood out on this recent listen. The first, Instant Hit makes me feel like I'm passing time with a smile. The second was absolutely wretched, the cover of Heard it Through the Grapevine, made me feel like I need to clean my ears with a wire brush. Musically, this is probably a dos-star album, but these three girls made their mark on the punk scene in the late 70's and I'm pretty sure they didn't get a group hug welcoming them. It must've been a difficult go even with the help of Johnny Rotten. So, they score massive punk points for pushing thru and releasing more music after this.
Meh.
Good British Punk
Love the closing track, just this distorted, distopian jam. Weird album overall but really dug it.
al principio se me hizo extraño but know i most def fuck with it weird vibes but i respect them its bold and different ahead of its time
Boobs
Excellent stuff, really enjoyed it found it interesting and fun to listen to!
enjoyed some of it
not bad, not amazing either. good use of dub, not sure i'm fully on board with the main singer.
Phwoar! I'd love to cut their slits...ideally if at least one of them was underage.
really trying to keep my dislike of german accents from influencing me here. i found it pretty annoying at first but honestly it kinda grooves. lyrics are dumb but in the way that i tend to expect from punk music. pretty weird but honestly a fairly fun listen. 3-
Ehh not really a fan, it was a bit overwhelming and harsh. I did like their cover of I Heard it Through the Grapevine, could be fun in some contexts? 2.5-3 stars
some nice tunes, needed to be more poppy or rocky though
Son graciosas, pero no me ha gustado mucho ... Les daré un 3. Es como punk.
Good. Interesting.
it's listenable, but confusing.
It... Is... Oh... Kay... I... Guess....
This is a well fun album, BUT I didn't love every track. Some of them were a little irritating to me. I wish I could give a 3.5.
Very different, not one of my favorite albums but I could totally see how they formed a style for other bands. Heard it through the grapevine was a great cover.
I loved this album... The first time 'round....
Weird singer, some songs okay
Actually not that bad
Better than expected. Dubby and post punk. Didn’t know it was an all girl group. Still, not what I’d listen to by choice though
pretty cool.
Boobs
I can hear Bjork in this a lot actually - especially in Shoplifting.
Not my style but I see why it is so influential
Pretty avant garde and difficult, but surprisngly catchy.
Sorry mate, I didn’t need this.
It's always some British people playing ska 😭😭. I don't think I needed to hear this before I die
Punkslop
Kind of ska sound with vocals that were difficult at points to determine the language. Not really my thing, so didn't get into it much
I don't get it. This is one of those albums whose reputation seems to stem more from the ground it broke than the actual quality of the music. Another British ska influenced band, but with weaker tunes and musicianship. "Typical Girls" is great and there are a few others, but this is mostly pretty forgettable.
This was better than most of the women punk bands I’ve had to listen to. It wasn’t as loud and they didn’t scream all the time. That being said, I still didn’t like this.
I have a namesake who I’m sure will love this. Sadly, I just don’t think I’m ever going to get through my punk bias.
You’d have thought this would be right up my alley being post-punk and all that. You would have been wrong. Thankfully the album is just over 30 minutes long, so it’s not a bad one to throw on to try out. I certainly did not hate this, but I didn’t really like it either. It feels mean to only give it a 2, but I’m aware I’ve given scores of 3 to other albums I’ve actually liked better, so 2 it is.
Most of these songs just suck. I know the loose, awkward playing and off-key vocals are supposed to be part of the charm, but it mostly sounded like nobody could agree on what song they were playing. Punk can be messy and still have some bite to it. This was just messy. “Typical Girls” was pretty catchy and easily the best thing here. There’s an actual hook, some personality, and enough rhythm to make it fun. Then there’s their cover of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” where the warbling vocals were awful. They took a song I already know is great and made it feel twice as long.
This was different but not unpleasant. I thought it would be tough at first but it grows on you really quick. An interesting sound and I could hear a lot of influences in it.
This sucked lol
Just trying to pinpoint what this is. Post punk? Dub? Riot Girl? Art pop? I know infamously they couldn’t play their instruments..idk, sexist..maybe.. but they sound like a HS cover band (cause they literally were 16/17).
You know that really weird girl who has purple hair and is in punk band and is super edgy, but does it naturally without trying? Like she would pose topless on an album cover just to piss off the establishment and not think twice about it?
I can see this was probably quite edged when it came out but it is very much of its time and to be honest, a bit shit!
This record feels like someone had a good idea, but not the skill to execute it well. It’s pretty hard to listen to, although I guess I at least appreciate that it seems like they were trying to do their own thing. It also feels like its presence in 1001 albums was meant to fulfill an inclusion policy or something. Like, I imagine the dialogue between the editors going something like this: “We need to shoehorn in an all-girl punk group for the riot grrl set.” “Does it have to be good?” “No, it just has to be British. We haven’t represented the British enough yet.” “How about The Slits?” “Good enough. Someone will find them revolutionary…” This record kinda sucks. But it does get a bonus point for the cover art. Not specifically because of the titties (although that's always appreciated), but because it's 3 white chicks cosplaying aboriginal women in front of...<looks at cover art again>...what looks like a suburban California home and garden. They almost get away with the illusion of being in a jungle were it not for the gutter and the window frame in the shot. Just a little bit of cropping would have fixed this...this actually feels like a pretty good metaphor for the entire record. Of course, I suppose this could all be intentional, as if they're showcasing that the Slits are fierce women warriors breaking out of the confines of middle-class Suburbia, but I kinda of doubt that. Or at least, I'm choosing to believe this was a mistake that made it through the editing process. Anyway, the cover art is thing I took the most enjoyment from with this record. 5/10
I've always heard about The Slits but had never listened to them. Unfortunately I wish it had stayed that way.
okay, first of all... the SLITS?? gross. secondly, they were teenagers topless on that album cover. I want to vote this out of my life. I will never listen to this again. BUT, I can hear music that could have been influenced by this band. mostly Bjork. I can't give this a 1 because that would be giving in to misogyny.
Boring white people reggae. I was hoping for better because the description said the Slits were a punk band, but it's more like post-punk with the obvious reggae influence. The music doesn't really bother me - it sounds fine. Just not super appealing to me. "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" is probably the best song. Not the worst thing I've ever listened to, of course, but I'm not really digging it.
put the cheddar in the pocket
Just a bit too high-pitched and all the same tempo without too much deviation for my liking.
Was I the problem or would the album be so much better with a clearer mix? It felt not really clear and the vocals seemed to silent at times...
70s british ska punk. Not my thing.
No me gustó. Las voces me desesperaron y la música me pareció demasiado ruido sin sentido.
Hmmm wanted this to be better than it is, just a bit unorganized and there is never any need for that screaming, crikey
Not that I would have enjoyed it that much more, but I was really expecting some perfectly fine punk music from this. Not experimental post-punkish type... whatever this is. This is a bit in line with stuff like The Idiot by Iggy Pop and Fear of Music by Talking Heads. I know this is a bit hypocritical coming from someone who likes extreme metal, but just in general this era of post-punk is just incredibly unpleasant music. Its got this sour, spoiled feel to it that I legitimately struggle to understand how anyone can enjoy listening to it. Bands like The Cure and New Order really did save this genre from itself and turn it into something good. I legitimately enjoy a lot of post-punk, but its gotta be 80s and later. Without exception, 70's post-punk always comes off as a bunch of music nerds trying to break the rules of music because they think they're smart, without understanding what the rules are in the first place. The 70's equivalent of 2000's hipsters trying to convince everyone their shitty folk music is good (and the hypocrite I am, I do like that shitty folk music, but I don't begrudge anyone who says Neutral Milk Hotel is garbage, lol). I want to go back in time and stuff them all in lockers. Maybe the embarrassment will convince them to write a decent hook for once in their life. But joking (kinda) aside, there are some tracks on this that aren't completely awful. FM and Newtown are kinda decent with a sorta reggae vibe, but again, that 70s post-punk is doing it no favors. Also Typical Girls is pretty solid. Probably the best track on the album. But yeah, not really much good here.
5/10
There's a venue in SLC in the back of a sandwich shop... This is the kind of music that I think plays there. Not my jam... But I am sure people who love this sound.... really love this sound.
Pfft. There’s better albums by similar bands who can actually play instruments.
How do they make 2:30 songs feel so long?
Great Album Cover. Music is just okay. Groundbreaking female group.
Not horrible, not good. :)
3/10 Did not enjoy that much
Not for me.
фигня.
Always see this album in the window my local record shop so was interested to give it a listen. Well it's safe to say I won't be picking it up any time soon! Just painful bar a couple of songs ("Typical Girls", "Instant Hit").
Weird, interesting, B-52s feel at times. Sounds like people playing in their garage
One of those albums I respect more than I like. To be honest, I’m here for the punk and the feminism, but I have a hard time getting into reggae. It’s a me problem.
Can hear that this CD influenced a lot of later music, but is very raw at this point in 1979
This album is a very dirty album. I visualise it being covered in grime and blood and other off-putting substances. The music reflects this, it's a bit too... loose... a loose slit.... and I'm not a fan of damaged goods.
Nepo much
britpunk...normally I'm fine with it, but this one was pretty bad
I respect the unique punk style, seems like an inspiration for some modern ska. But it really didn't do much for me, a little too raw and messy
I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. This is a punk album with heavy reggae influence. I enjoy the instrumentation but really don't care for the vocals. I can appreciate how important this album was since it influenced many that followed but I doubt I would listen again.
Not my thing.
Легкий ненавязчивый девчачий панк/пост-панк для подростков. Прямо так и представляю как в начале 80-х девочки, в порыве своего подросткового бунтарства, бесились в своей комнате общаги колледжа. Сейчас мне крайне тяжело было это слушать
I appreciate their style but it's not for me. Spend, Spend, Spend and Newtown was good. I didn't like their Grapevine cover which was when I realized The Slits is not for me.
Nice but didn’t stick after a few listens. Didn’t blow my mind like the other jazz on here.
Pretty lame. I expected a hardcore punk album based on the cover lol.
Nope.
Can’t say I loved this
ughh. not very good.
Not what I expected. More melodic and tuneful and quite palatable to be honest. Not my sort of thing to be honest but ok. 2
I get that this in influential on a generation of punk bands, but it didn't really do a lot for me. The best song was the cover of '...Grapevine', which seems to be a hard song for people to fuck up. Interesting in a historical sense, but not something I'll be going back to any time soon
Not bad, except for the “Heard It Through the Grapevine” cover, which was truly awful. Not exactly what I was expecting overall.
nah dude nah
Sure, I guess.
Yeah this just isn't it
2026.05.06
I know it’s influential etc. etc. but I just didn’t enjoy it.
Favorite songs: Instant Hit, Love und Romance, Typical Girls, I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Zoo wee mama
I mean I didn't hate it?
this is music you find in a fallout mod that kinda sucks
Ok 2/5
Too weird
Какие то очень дикие бабенки
Okay, so this is a pretty meh album. It just sounds like a bunch of low-level songs but it's relatively decent having them play in the background while doing other things.
Best Song: I Heard It Through The Grapevine. A legitimately interesting and fresh cover of this song. Totally different from the original. Worst Song: Liebe and Romanze - Slow Version. How did this song even make it onto the album? It doesn't seem like it was even interesting to listen to at full speed, and slowed down you can really here the distortion of the slow. Was this just new technology that the producer was playing with? Overall: Wasn't quite for me. A bit too raw, while also trying to be a little to fun and upbeat, in a way that almost felt like ska. I prefer my punk less bouncy.
I'm sure this band was influential or pioneers, however to my modern ears this just doesn't do it for me. The reggae punk blend with the vocals feels very rough.
Very okay
Fun reggae punk vibes but pretty meh overall
se a phoebe de friends tivesse participado de uma banda esse seria o álbum
1 star for their enthusiasm, but otherwise I found it mostly unlistenable.
What if we did something people should actually listen to before they die?? Like i dunno.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... FUCKING ENYA???????????????????????
It was a tough listen first time through. Almost left it at that. But upon a second listen,,, I think there's something magical there. I haven't quite grabbed it, but from paying deeper attention to some of the lyrics in passing, i think there's something deeper here. Its not an easy listen however 6/10
The meeting of punk and reggae at the time. This band have been written about, interviewed, critically acclaimed and viewed as seminal in the development of women in music. It still sounds, to me, ramshackle and not inviting of too many other ensuing listens - I don't hear the agitated art pop qualities that drove the music papers wild back in 1979......
It’s alright
I was hoping this was going to be more punk, but ended up being post-punk. I liked her voice and vibrado alright, but really did not like the meandering songs and garage production. Not for me. 2.3/5 -> 2/5
Best Song: Typical Girls I don't hate this as much as a lot of the reviews I had read about it. The production is odd, that's for sure - it is super drum forward, which I tend to like but the other instruments outside of drums and vocals feel like background for a few of the tracks. This band was created as an experiment and rather unorganized from the start and it showed. I don't foresee myself listening to this again. 2/5.
Nicht meine Musik.
I haven’t heard of this band before and after listening to the album I don’t think I will actively listen to them again the album wasn’t terrible but not the sort of think that interests me
Have heard worse, but it's not a great punk album. Almost experimental, or just mental I can't be sure. Not sure I needed to hear it and probably won't go back for more. I'm sure it means something to someone though.
Mer white reggae, men i något punkigare form än tidigare. Måste ha kommit ut typ exakt samtidigt som polisskivan så antar att det var sjukt inne just precis då. Lusterligt album! Inte så sugen på att lyssna på mer dock.
Sin más
Doesn’t have the power that could really elevate this. Musicianship isn’t good, and the songs themselves are really lackluster. +1 for boobs.
2,5
1.5/5 Oh no, they're British :/ I really wish they could sing, I'm not sure why all British music so far has ended up just being them talking over weird music. Yeah, it's punk. Sure it's influential to the genre. Yay, women making music and redefining genres. I did not need to listen to this album before I died though. I feel like I should've done a lyrical analysis of this song in a Queer Studies class, yknow? My playlists say no thank you, but I'm probably more cultured right now. Someone give these poor girls a shower.
Insane band name. Music is whatever.
Ok, so if you know me, you know that my sense of timelines is really bad. Like, time before the 2000’s doesn’t exist in a linear way in my mind. So I have no clue what the state of punk was in 1979. But I will say that this album really sounds like it influenced a lot of the 90’s punk music I listen to currently. That being said… this was a hard listen. Every song just had me hoping for like, 1 more thing to be added so it didn’t sound so… raw and open. Season: Early Autumn Favorite Song: Adventures Close To Home
OKAY SO - I did not really enjoy it. alot of it felt very samey and hard to discern from the rest of the album. Also, there were many times where I did not feel that the quality of the sound was up to par. Like the sound of the music and the sound of the artist felt to be at awkward levels, making it hard to enjoy either. To be fair, this does feel like something I could put in the background and mindlessly while im doing somehting else. I did enjoy the weirdness of it, but I wish it was executed better. - may be a 1 later ngl
Eh this seemed like a fine version of an 80s punky girl group
Sloppy punk
Apparently, the group started when two of their members approached a 14 year old nepo baby to join their band. Learning that they're connected to the Sex Pistols makes a lot of sense. This is better than the Sex Pistols.
This is pretty rough. It was hard to find a redeeming quality of this album... the only thing I really landed on is that it's rare for music of this calibre to be made by women, so, I guess there's that??
In theory this is cool and impressive (a female punk/reggae band in an ocean of white man music, fuck yeah!), but the abject lack of melodies made it a very challenging and unpleasant listen for me.
Perfectly fine album, but not super surprising. No standouts, somewhat poor lyricism, decent rythyms. I wasn't blown away by any part of it, but certainly an interesting one.
Well objectively this should be a 1 because it's technically dreadful, both instrumentally and vocally. But on the odd occasion, I actually didn't hate it. I even vaguely enjoyed the Heard It Through The Grapevine cover. So, I can't justify it in any way, but this is getting: 2/5
I really didn't enjoy this too much. The singing was okay, but the instruments were meh.
Respect for getting out there and doing it at the time, but this is just not great 2*
1.5
I was not digging this album very much until I heard the Slits' rendition of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine". The bass is the best part. Wish I could give it a 2.5, but I'll stick to my guns here since albums I've liked more only got 3's.
Album #35: Cut - The Slits Genre (W): Post-punk, dub-reggae, art pop No singles. I have not listened to this album before. Thoughts?: One of the first all female bands. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard anything that particularly stood out aside from the music and how it sounds. Favorite songs: FM, New Static, Love Und Romance
Punk mit ein paar Reggaeklängen
I really want to like this but I just don't.
I can appreciate the feminist empowerment and the socially conscious lyrics but it doesn't save this album from suffering from a severe lack of a competent vocalist.
Un po’ un casino
First time listening to this album in full. I like their cover of I Heard It Through The Grapevine but the rest didn't provide me with any bangers. I appreciate them as an all female band but </3 2/5
For now it sounds more like reggae than punk rock to be fair... And I have trouble enjoying reggae 😅
I don’t care for this
More important than good I am a big fan of punk rock and even for the DIY scene where "anyone who can pick up a guitar can make an album" this is lacking, mostly lacking in actual music and is just random drum taps and the occasional strum of the guitar
Pretty basic punk album tbh. Nothing blew me away.
Sehr punkig. "Typical girls" und "I Heard it through the grapevine" kann man sich anhören. Sonst viel Krach. 2/5
I enjoyed how experimental this was, even if I'll likely never seek it out to listen to again.
I actually give this a 1.5 I don’t care if I don’t get it bc quite frankly it was pretty shit
4.35
One and done.
This was super annoying to listen to.
5,6/10
Nostalgic early punk with a unique sound. Not my thing but I can appreciate its place in history.
This was not for me
I actually kinda enjoyed it. Wish I could give .5s
Don't seem overly talented. Although the cover probably help sell some records.
meh.....this was my first reaction after listening to this album, but then because I was tired after a long day of traveling, I decided to listen to this album on the next day. Still, my reaction remained the same....meh....
Who would have thought that reggae and punk would go together? Certainly not me; turns out I was actually right. Not terribly awful, but run of the mill awful. Two stars.
Outside The Clash, I always thought the best thing about punk was post-punk. This album does nothing to dispell that notion.
Very meh. Typical Girls is a good song though. 5/10
Nelabai kažkaip, vietomis skambėdavo kaip bjork, bet ne iki galo.
Well now i know where Bjork grew up. It was with the rebellious teenage daughters of The Shaggs. I like Bjork so for this reason 2 stats.
Maybe somewhat interesting…? I get there’s a punk sensibility here and they’re pioneers of a riot grrrl attitude, but that doesn’t make listening any easier or more enjoyable.
Woof Best Song: I Heard it Through the Grapevine Rating: 3/10 Stars: 2
annoying,
Rudimentary, trashy punk music, that somehow works. The Slits don't know how to play instruments or sing, but they know how to make music. Nothing soothing, but challenging.
Not my thing. Messy mix of punk and reggae influences. Just a bit too esoteric for my tastes. I can certainly see how it influenced so many acts to come later.
Infectiously fun to start, but it lost its spark as it went on and never really branched out.
I dont think post-punk is for me, but I enjoyed some of the beats.
Rythmically much more interesting that most of this eras punk albums (credit to Budgie on drums), but i think album would benefit of having few well crafted pop songs here and there. Bit heavy to listen towards the end of the record.
No so good.
I thought this was very fun. Not my style not my jam but despite that, I enjoyed it.
glad it exists but it's not a very good on it's own
Not for me
Not into punk, but I'm bumping it up from 1 to 2 stars just because it's women, and we need a lot more of that on this list. Really hated the screaming on Shoplifting, though. Fav Track: Instant Hit
I finally get a hot take - I have zero idea why this is in the punk canon lmao
Boobs?! I am too tired for this. Three naked women covered in mud don this album cover, and it makes me think we’re in for a raucous record. Are these three the band? Or am I to be swindled again by some boring 80’s post-punk? My guess is that it could be both! Optimism is always punished here, but maybe this time it’ll be different. Pathetic. Instant Hit - It’s sounding like it could be a girl band. Hell yeah. This is not boring so far either! Minutemen with pan flutes and mud covered girls. I mean, it’s weird, but it’s still pretty cool. So Tough - I’m getting slight reggae influence which is sending me into a tailspin. White people, please stop aping black music so blatantly. It’s embarrassing and also extremely painful. I like that this is all over the place and odd, but the reggae is killing me. Spend, Spend, Spend - Consumption anthem. More bizarre, jerky, punky erratic music tinged with reggae. Mostly a pass. Shoplifting - Oh wait, we were buying, now we’re… stealing??? These girls are crazy! Yeah this is much better despite her saying “Babylon.” Give it a rest. FM - Have I said “off the wall” in this review? Well this is more “on the wall.” Like throwing all the shit at the proverbial wall and seeing what sticks. Newtown - Something about this is too happy. The dropped fork sample is cool. I don’t know. This is fine. Ping Pong Affair - Oh man. They covered it. The forbidden yet fascinating love affair between rival ping pong players 文吴 and 富张. Truly beautiful, yet tragic as they were removed form the Chinese Olympic team. They moved to the more tolerant Jamaica, and learned to play the steel drums with ping pong balls. They inspired this horrible reggae fusion song. Love und Romance - UGH. You are a white lady from Germany. Stop saying “Babylon” in that accent. Excellent discordant piano though. Typical Girls - Yeah these are anything but. We’ve still got bad music going on here. If somebody assassinated this guitarist, we might have a killer record on our hands. Asking the questions of our time. Who invented the typical girl. Adventures Close to Home - More of the same! I believe this record sounds how mania feels. There are vocal inflections and ideas here that have me loving this record, but overall the reggae is its death knell. I like this more than your garden variety record we get access to daily, but there isn’t much here for me. That’s ok, records don’t have to be for me. If you go and do your little white girl reggae album and you gain acceptance from the progenitors of the genre, cool. I still think it’s insulting. Even if I think all reggae sucks, cultural vampirism sucks worse. The punk energy of this was great, some of the samples and ideas were fantastic, the vocals were dynamic and vibrant, I just don’t like reggae. 2 HIGHLIGHTS: Shoplifting, Love und Romance
I don't mind punk being combative and crude, that's kind of the point, this just felt like it took it a little past the point where it was still enjoyable.
Not my stuff
This album sounds like a primal scream of horny ol' ladies from the 70's when they wanted to have coitus.
M'eh, pink just isn't my jam I guess.
Litt svakere låter enn det jeg husket.
Just okay not really for me. 4.2/10
feministisk performance kunst. Kan man også se på covered. De laver art punk jeg synes ikke det lyder mega punket faktisk, men det må være det politiske i teksterne. De har deres egen lyd, sådan lidt reggae agtigt. Ikke ligesom the clash f.eks. de er også lidt over i postpunk genren. Åben struktur, eksperimenterende rytmer, rå produktion. Kaotisk, Legesyg, rå, uimponeret, spirituelt. Har også meget med krop at gøre. Forsangeren var legit 17 også, det er fandme ikke gammelt. Nogengange har jeg for some reason svært ved at tro en 17 årig ville kunne lave god musik, men selvfølgelig kan de jo det. Det er jo bare endnu en del af udtrykket.
I liked bits and pieces here and there but most of this just sucked. Poor musicianship (which I guess is pretty punk?) and grating to listen to. The cover of Heard It Through The Grapevine is really solid but the rest of the album is mostly misses
Not that keen on this one
2.5
p437. 1979. 2 stars. Late 70s white girl reggae/punk fusion. Adequate but not outstanding in any way. I guess this is a token entry for being female AND reggae.
I kinda find this group annoying. The 'I heard it through the grapevine' cover slaps tho
Not a fan. Redeemed slightly by heard it though the grapevine
Not really my bag. Not sure I’d go out my way to listen again.
Punk/Reggae not really my thing… liked some of the music not so much the vocals on some. “Liebe and Romanze” which is on as a “bonus track” is anything but a bonus… pure torture and a waste of 4 minutes and 41 seconds. 2 stars
This is one of those albums where I completely understand why it's on the list, I just didn't like it. It wasn't terrible or unlistenable by any means, and I can actually hear how it influenced other artists, but something about it didn't quite gel with me. I also really dislike the album cover too. One of the few ones where I have a visceral negative reaction (In The Court of the Crimson King being another one). It's hard for me to rate this because I appreciate that it's a bit different and the influence it had, but nothing about it quite worked for me. I'd rate this a 2.5 if I could, but I have to round down in this instance, though I'm open to subsequent listens potentially changing my rating upwards.
I love when women in music don’t have pretty voices, but the Slits’ music wasn’t too appealing with the vocals. I respect them anyway. The Slits had a mostly punk sound, but whenever reggae would pop up, they got way more interesting. That alone qualifies Cut on this list.
I always appreciate an obscure all-female band popping up on this project! I wasn't overly into all the music on this album, but I could definitely find appreciation for The Slits' fusion of punk and reggae. I did find some additional appreciation for their funky cover of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". Probably about a 2.5 for this...wish I could rate it higher than a 2, but it wasn't a 3 for me.
Instant Hit - 4/10 So Tough - 5/10 Spend, Spend, Spend - 4/10 Shoplifting - 5/10 Fm - 4/10 Newtown - 3/10 Ping Pong Affair - 2/10 Love Und Romance - 5/10 Typical Girls - 4/10 Adventures Close to Home - 4/10 I heard it through the grapevine - 7/10 Liebe and Romanze - 1/10
I liked two more songs on this album than I thought I would (2 total). Rate 1.5 if I could, but will give it a 2
A bit jarring and a bit repetitive to listen to. I appreciate it's influence but not something I'd be too interested in listening to often.
It's interesting, to say the least... I liked their cover of "I heard it from the grapevine", but outside of that the rest is just okay.
I feel bad for all the bands that were influenced by this.
bleh
2/5
The album itself is rather middling and meh, but their influence was formative to the Riot Grrl punk rock movement that would come later. Like a fair number of their male punk contemporaries, I'm not CUT belongs on all time lists. "Typical Girls" was cheeky rebellious fun. I was surprised to learn that Budgie (from Siouxsie and the Banshees) played drums on this album and additional background vocals were added by a very young Neneh Cherry about a decade before she would have her own breakout hit with "Buffalo Stance".
Didn't really do much for me. It's alright?
I personally don't like this style at all but I do think that it's good if you do like it? I used to have this version of I Heard It Through The Grapevine from Limewire in the early 2000s. It was incorrectly titled 'I Heard It Through The Bassline' but I actually think that fits better, such an excellent cover.
01) Instant Hit - 6,5 02) So Tough - 6,0 03) Spend, Spend, Spend - 6,0 04) Shoplifting - 5,5 05) FM - 5,5 06) Newtown - 5,5 07) Ping Pong Affair - 6,0 08) Love und Romance - 5,5 09) Typical Girls - 6,5 10) Adventures Close to Home - 5,5 TOTAL: 5,85 (59/100) Current ranking: 554/674
If a broadway musical were produced by Yoko Ono; where Bjork was the lead singer of The Clash, this would be the soundtrack.
2.0 - Weak
I didn't know what to expect when I got this album. I just want some of whatever they were on when they were making it. Some of the weirdest ska/reggae/punk I've ever heard. Just not in the best way. The cover of "I heard it Through the Grapevine" is cool
Early punk aint my thing bruv
Probably a 2.5
Would have enjoyed it a lot more if they weren’t sing/talking over each other constantly. Felt like I was in an insane asylum. 4/10
Raw punk sounds, was fine for me, not usually the type of music i enjoy listening to, but it was fun to listen.
sise. iako mogu cijeniti ambiciju, i obrada "i heard it through the grapewine" pokazuje da ima tu talenta, ali ovo je često neslušljivo...
'Typical Girls' is the best thing on the album. I understand it is an important album, but I just don't find it listenable.
This is not my genre. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): N/A My ratings are kind of based on general vibes and how many tracks I save to my Deezer profile -- ⭐⭐: Didn't like it, didn't hate it. Saved no tracks.
Couldn't listen to the whole thing. Just kind of odd
White lady reggae punk. It wasn't my fave.
I can appreciate the creativity, but this is just too raw, too garage for my tastes.
It's not for me. I don't like almost any punk. While I love the energy of a lot of punks, I respond better to quality musicianship. Bands should sound like they work at it, that they want to get better. This is better than a lot of 'em I've heard though. When they lean more reggae, it's better. The production seems minimal and if it was a little better, I think I'd appreciate the musicians more. There some interesting musical bits, but the singing takes it all down a peg. Ari Up has had quite a life and I'm sure she's super interesting, but I can't give her high marks for singing. Giving it a 2 instead of a 1 because while it's not for me, I can understand why someone would like it and there are some interesting twists along the way. Don't imagine I'd ever listen to this again.
I wanted to love this based on their one super hit on the album but the rest of it was just kinda meh. I didn't dislike most of it but it didn't really do much for me. 2.5 rounding down.
Meh 2.4
Another bad post-punk album to add to the dismal collection
It’s fine I guess. Not really my thing. Lot of punk influence in how they eschew “normal” sounds for vocals, both in melody and harmony. No songs that really stood out as good, with the possible exception of “I heard it through the Grapevine”, that one was decent. Probably a 4/10 for me. Update two minutes later: checked the artist profile on Spotify and “Grapevine” has 3x the plays of the song in second place.
Just about tolerable
All girl ska punk with limited musical ability and a tits out cover. Pass.
Interesting but not my jam
This was stressful to listen to while driving downtown. I’ll give it another chance eventually
2 - No, sorry
I thought this was naff. The grapevine cover just stood out and showed how pointless all the other tracks had been. 2.1/5
Avantgarde… weirf
It may be quirky, but it sure ain't cool.
I struggled to get into this one. Felt a bit all over the place. Appreciated the drummer and bassist holding things together. Instant hit and Typical girls were the highlights. Heard it through the grapevine was a decent cover too
what was that
Not a lot I would go back to but interesting to hear hints of Talking Head and new wave punk
I can see why this is important and groundbreaking but musically I don’t think this stands the test of time. The Marvin Gaye cover was nice but I don’t think I will be coming back to this.
I like post-punk (a lot) but this not very listenable.
They seem to be skilled musicians, but as an album one listens through from beginning to end, it doesn't work for me. However, the tracks are individually... intriguing. It feels like these are akin to little diddies used in a movie soundtrack or score—just filler or atmosphere for quick transitions or 10 second scenes.
I was told this would be a punk album. In this case I think "punk" is just code for "messy." Punk doesn't *have* to be bad, but this kinda is. I'm guessing Sleater-Kinney would cite this band as an influence, but they actually made good music. Positive points for a fun band name and interesting percussion, but negative points for pretty much everything else. 1.8
Quite annoying sound. I managed to listen to it though, which means it's better than 1/5...
Did not enjoy the vocals. Standout song: Typical Girls
I’m pretty sure that was edgy ska, not punk rock but you do you
The vocals ruin it. It's like listening to Bjork murder a decent song. The instrumentation and production is actually ok. I quit elike the dub/reggae understones. Just too weird for me vocally.
This was like a spot on the end of your nose. Starts off as annoying and aggravating and you wonder why it’s there. And then you find that you can’t stop touching it and become mildly obsessed. I can see why this was important and I’m all for a political female band but like the spot, it’s a relief when it’s finally gone.
I was expecting something nasty and raucous and edgy, based on the band's name alone. In the end, the music was just fine, I'm not here to diss, but it couldn't have made less of an impact on me. It failed to make any impression.