Slumber Party
3
Kill Rock Stars
Though Slumber Party hails from Detroit, upon first listen they seem like the definitive “coastal” band. The wistful, rain-streaked window textures in their music conjure up images of perpetually clouded Portland or historically hip Boston – pretty much any place but the post-industrial Motor City. It’s horrible of me to say, but it’s hard to imagine Detroit in its current state giving birth to a band such as this. Turn back the clock thirty years, however, when the Motown sound of young America was still fresh and vibrant, and Slumber Party starts to make sense.
Equal parts Velvet Underground spooky/sweet rock & roll, Spector/Berry girl group and melancholy indie pop, the band has me easily pegged as their target audience. 3 practically begs for favorable comparisons, so here you go: the emotionally resilient “Electric Boots” would have been a perfect fit for Nancy Sinatra; “No Sleep Tonite” should have Lou Reed thanking the band for keeping “I’m Waiting For the Man” warm for him; “Behave” gets as much mileage out of two chords as The Stooges did before they became an Iggy Pop afterthought; and “Why?” nicks the piano chords from U2’s “Running to Standstill” and builds a mournful ballad on par with The Smiths’ “Asleep”. There are more, but you get the idea.
3 is the Detroit-born record designed for bedsit listening and private parties, freed from stifling garage rock and insipid party metal sloganeering. It’s a mish mash of all your favorite moments from all your favorite records, or better yet, a mix CD that’s effort free. I finally have music from my home state I’m proud to own. Thanks girls – it’s been a long time coming.
Kill Rock Stars: http://www.killrockstars.com/
