The recent promo CD from The Sly exudes the kind of confidence you’d usually expect from an established band who’ve been doing this for years. But this demands another listen, then another one. A proper listen.
The Sly are Levon Gill on drums and vocals with Chris Bell and Elijah Henderson on guitars and bass.
The first track is Head First.
That start…
The drum. The cough.
I love the way it slows down; it challenges you and makes you work for it. Then it kicks back in, increasing in tempo with guitars that sound far more mature than you’d expect. Then comes the change at 3:20. What a ride!
Levon’s voice is new and refreshing. You may never have heard anything quite like this before. Well, if you have, it’s not from someone his age. Or from this time. It makes you want to hear more. It somehow has traces of Lydon, Jagger and Devoto, and those early 80s punk bands. I’m enjoying the sometimes harsh delivery and the aching vocal style. Along with the rhythmic drums and erratic guitars, it feeds your thirst for more. What a perfect combination.
The second track Persian Rugs has a different type of energy. It has a funky guitar sound and a fantastic bassline. There's a 60s-type of sound to it, with a Kula Shaker rhythm and vibe. I particularly like the cowbell and cymbals combo and the clever change in key. The percussion throughout is excellent.
The third track How It Felt is another belter. You’re going to get a full 10 minutes worth of The Sly for your money here!
It starts slow, sexy and rhythmic, gradually building and building until the vocals come in and everything is chaotic and unhinged. Levon’s vocals are raw and pained here. Again, it’s impassioned and you can feel it. The beat of the drums with the overlay of the guitar is very clever, and once more it speeds up and slows again, keeping you wanting more, unable to settle. The whole track feels slightly unstable and manic, but in a good way.
These lads are quite a force to be reckoned with. They have that effortless uber-cool vibe. You’d almost think they don’t need us - but we absolutely need them.
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