Are You Satisfied?
Virgin/EMI
British two-piece Slaves have arrived, taking full advantage of their recent signing to Virgin EMI by moving their boisterous and in-your-face live presence into a gritty and uncaring album.
It’s hard to believe two musicians could make such a raucous noise together, but Laurie Vincent and Issac Holam have achieved it; unfortunately the band’s clear live strengths struggle in a recording environment with repetitive structures strangely inducing a lack of memorability. The album’s overall uniqueness and disdain for dignity however, is engaging but not something that goes down well on a second listen. Opening track The Hunter is the album’s crunchiest tune with pounding guitars and thrilling, cynical vocals; however Cheer Up London’s intense chorus vocals and perfectly companioning drum beat takes the prize as best track.
The faster-paced Ninety Nine is another fun song further down the tracklist but really fails to reach that pinnacle in its build.
AARON BRYANS
