We Are Busy Bodies partner label Having Fun hit the ground running by unleashing a blast of unfettered new indie rock last year from the likes of Absolute Losers and The Boojums. Thankfully they’ve managed to keep up that momentum and are heading for a final flurry of need-to-be-discovered releases this year with Kitchener, Ontario four piece Slough one of the bands bringing their own noisy contribution. Led by local alt-rock scene totem Marcus Wanka (check the back catalogue via Hyness, Hank and Teen Violence) with his longtime recording buddy Joe Shugan, Slough come with scuzz rock provenance and sonic know-how. Sure their self-titled debut holds onto some grungey reference points but its shot with enough song shaping, guitar wrenching personality to jettison the retro and stand on its own.
Opener Laid Up is the album’s launch pad with Slough dropping a sneery Seattle guitar pattern before a pumped up, high-hat-hissing beat takes the song on an air punching diversion. “Laid up, waiting around” goes the hook, wrapped in close-fit harmonies and lifted by zooming, melodic indie-rock fretwork.
From the off, Slough’s dynamism makes you sit up. What started as a low key effort, Wanka assembling his songs and playing all the instruments with home studio wizardry from Shugan, has geared up into a full band. As production pressed on, rising Shoegaze duo Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn (aka Softcult) joined in, bringing bass, drum and vocal inputs. The result is that Slough’s sound remains compact and focused but it crackles with fresh dynamism. Plus, for those that love guitaring the album is bursting with riffs, shapes and FX.
What’s impressive about Slough though is that any flare and flourish is never allowed to dominate the flow of the songs. Things are consistently kept focused and succinct here, benefiting from the economy. The brazen alt-rock of Y has the necessary bursts of searing guitar and hints of shredding to add to the barbed questioning that’s going on. Equally intense, She’s Dead merges gliding Teenage Fanclub moments with a segment of squealing guitar euphoria to cover the track in a darker pall. Quirkier still the Gallagher brothers mid-tempo swayer Waves sets a pulsating fuzz riff, trippy lyrics within some swirling pop psychedelia without stumbling.
It’s when the band lean into some high-level power pop that ‘Slough’ the album suggests that there’s even more to come from Wanka, Shugan and co. Closing track Soon has pounding toms and chunky riffs which gather up a tidal wave of guitar shimmering like those anthemic John Power/ Cast moments. Breezin’ goes even more mop-top harmony-wise and, along with its ripping psych-guitar solo, confirms that Slough have the knack of putting every detail in exactly the right place. Then there’s Understand which applies a Big Star-like swoon to the melody and matches a singing guitar lick to a delicious fuzzy undertow. By the time you hit the final “Do you understa-a-a-a-and”, you’ll recognise a damn-near perfect three minutes.
Does the name come from shedding layers and make new starts or less likely a surreal nod to the anonymous English new town? That’s really irrelevant. There’s no need to look for deeper meanings when a band can arrive with a straight-ahead rock record as accomplished and spirited as this debut.
Get your copy of ‘Slough‘ by Slough from your local record store or direct from Having Fun Records HERE
