Slack Season
Highway Firecracker
Fighting
This 5-song EP by Orlando’s (via Gainesville) Slack Season has been a long time coming, with one song having appeared on the Slacker’s last full-length, Post Party. For anyone who’s followed the band, these songs will be familiar from their live show, where they’ve been in the set list for at least the better part of a year. As with previous outings, this is lean, muscular, guitar-based pop, written by the lead singer except for the last cut, which is angrier and more rhythmically based. John Youngman’s lead vocals have become slightly less idiosyncratic without losing their edge, with the lyrics oblique enough to maintain interest (in fact, if anyone can tell me what the countryish “Unlucky Life of a Fighting Song” is about, I’m all ears).
As usual, the rhythm section of Bill Youngman and Dino Fernandez is solid without unnecessary flash. Nice support on guitar and keys by then-unofficial fourth member Aaron Carr (of Noah’s Red Tattoo), who co-produced with the band and Ron Richter.
Fighting Records, 807 E. Livingston St., Orlando, FL 32803, (407) 835-1918, http://www.slackseason.com, info@slackseason.com
