Chances are you've heard The Slip somewhere down the line; They've been on Late Night with Conan O'Brian, featured on Guitar Hero, and have had a couple of tv appearences, such as Grey's Anatomy, ladies. Anyway, they first made a name for themselves wowing improv and jam band fans around the New England region of the United States. The band formed in '89 but has made a lot of changes since then, including a full band member change in '91 which resulted in Andrew and Brad Barr taking over guitar/piano/vocals and percussion, respectively, and Marc Friedman taking over bass. They released From the Gecko, Does, and Angels Come on Time, in 1997, 2000, and 2002. Across these three albums their core sound is an experimentation of rock and jazz-fusion, a sound reminicent of Phish. Additionally, The Slip demonstrate interesting use of their instruments, show an intent to experiment with new sounds, and enjoy telling stories, even if there are no words, lyrical and instrumentally they are constantly introducing new ideas and patterns within their songs.
Their new album, Eisenhower (2006), is yet another expansion their sound. Holding true to their reputation, Eisenhower is an album which moves. The whole piece is one story. I won't ruin it for you, but the lyrics are worth deciphering. And it features more lyrical tracks than any of their previous studio albums. The sound undoubtably falls into the rock genre because less emphasis is put on jazz in exchange for a combination of heavier alt rock (Even Rats) and softer rock (Suffocation Keep). Eisenhower is a prime example of what the band loves to do: keep listeners on the edge of their seat by taking you across different soundscapes, and bring every instrument to life. All the instruments are great, but the bass particularly, because The Slip does not relegate it to the background by only reinforcing guitar riffs or other trivial tasks. One prominent example: "Children of December" the guitar supports the bass riffs. The band also does an interesting job toying around with electronic sounds "First Panda in Space" shows how their music has evolved from past albums. If this album is the first you have listened to by The Slip, "The Original Blue Air" is what their older albums can be compared to.
I enjoy The Slip, and more specifically, Eisenhower, because, as perviously mentioned, their songs take you from one place to another. Many songs nowadays lie stagnant in that one sound or one chorus which is repeated over and over again within that same tired song structure. But, The Slip can...slip past the monotony, and really discover what they are capable of.
"Airplane Primitive:"
THE SKINNY: Combines rock sounds with a jam band mentality
FAVORITE TRACK: Airplane/Primitive
APPROPRIATE FOR: Listening to the lyrics
FOR FANS OF: The Southland, Phish, Death Cab for Cutie
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