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BMG [Release date 23.02.24]
BMG’s Slade reissue campaign continues with two more albums (both on CD and coloured vinyl).
Formed by Noddy Holder, Jim Lea, Dave Hill and Don Powell in the late 60s, the band found enormous success with their stomping glam rock of the early 70s, before the wilderness of the late 70s saw them decamp to the US.
After the legendary Reading 1980 performance reinvention and rejuvenation saw Slade back in the UK spotlight and this 1981 hard rocking album ‘Till Deaf Us Do Part’ took us by the throat.
From the outset of ‘Rock And Roll Preacher’, the glam was gone and Slade were playing solid hard rock (occasionally with a metal nod, yet keeping a huge slab of ‘That Slade Sound’).
That opening track has more than a hint of AC/DC-ish boogie, while the title track has a catchy punk/metal feel. ‘Knuckle Sandwich Nancy’, also a single, is an uptempo number with a punkish feel; ironic that punk nearly killed the band 5 years earlier but there’s a distinct hint of it on this album.
I’d forgotten just how good this album is, it’s still so incredibly obviously classic Slade, but more new wave metal than glam, and it works so very well.
A lovely digibook with a (too thin/brief) booklet, some notes from Classic Rock scribe Dave Ling, and a couple of bonus tracks. A rejuvenation indeed, and there’s lots to love here.
Take a step back to 1975 and we get a 12 track live from the New Victoria, 1975. This is a stand alone release of a set originally released as part of the All The World Is A Stage set, but does get its debut on vinyl here.
Record sales may be been on the verge of tailing off in the UK, but Slade were still deservedly a solid live draw, as this set shows. ‘Them Kinda Monkeys Can’t Swing’ is a cracking opener, and there’s a wonderful version of ‘Gudbuy T’Jane’ (check out that guitar solo).
And before anyone bore’s me daft asking where the hits are (there are a few), there’s a good mix of material here, and it does close with ‘Mama We’re All Crazee Now’. A cracking set overall, the band are recorded well but you can hardly hear the crowd. Worth getting if you don’t have it already.
On the downside, while the gatefold card sleeve looks and feels great, info beyond the track list is almost completely absent. The year and location are only mentioned on the sticker on the shrink wrap, and the single sheet insert just tells us the label, band line-up and track publishing; when cost cutting gives up that much, someone needs to have a word.
Can’t fault the wonderful rock music on either release. 4/5 on both counts.
Review by Joe Geesin
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