Artist: Slapshot
Album: Step On It/Back On The Map [CD Reissue]
Release: 1990
Label: Taang!
Tracklist:
1. Step On It
2. Chameleon
3. No Time Left
4. You've Lost It
5. Show The Way
6. The Same Mistake
7. No Friend Of Mine
8. I've Had Enough
9. Could It Be
10. No Guts No Glory
11. Rise And Fall
12. Hang Up Your Boots
13. Enforcer
14. Chant
15. In Your Face
16. Might Makes Right
17. Gilligan
18. Back On The Map
19. Addiction
20. Where There's Smoke
21. It's Happening Today
22. Chip On My Shoulder
23. Moment Of Truth
24. Killing Frost
Slapshot is probably my favorite band. This hasn't always been the case. But for the past year they have been my most-listened-to hardcore artist. It is a fortunate fact of history that their discography is by and large widely available in repress form and the original CDs abound on Amazon. Maybe not a collectors dream but pretty rad if you ask me. Their songwriting is on-point. While some of their songs may be counted among the most decimating calls-to-mosh in history, they could probably comfortably be listened to by fans of the Jam...
The above record is a reissue CD version of two classic Slapshot records, 1986's "Back On The Map" EP and 1988's "Step On It" LP. In their day, the reputation of Slapshot preceded itself. Jack "Choke" Kelly had previously held the vocalist role in both Last Rights and Negative FX. Bass player Jonathan Anastas had helped write DYS's "Brotherhood". Probably the most famous Slapshot anecdote is that prior to having played their first show the band was described as being a "great live act" in Mike Gitter's zine "xXx". Slapshot's reputation preceded itself. And for good reason.
Slapshot's sound borrows more from Last Rights than either Negative FX or DYS. This is kind of odd considering that--to my knowledge--Choke did not play a song writing role in Slapshot (this is a guess though). The first thing that stands out about Slapshot's debut 12" "Back On The Map" is it's speed. Most of the songs are at half-tempo compared to Last Rights and an even smaller fraction of the speed of Negative FX. The opening riff to "Back On The Map" is a dark creepy-crawl that sends tingles down my spine. When the song picks up it is surprisingly "oi". From the tempo, to Choke's vocal patterns and the content of the song ("we're gonna' get back what we had!") to the barely harmonized gang-vocals in the chorus it sounds like a skinhead anthem.
The album fluctuates from 77-style sounding punk like the song "Addiction" to songs like "Where There's Smoke..." which is a mid-tempo hardcore song emblematic of the best of 80s hardcore and Boston in particular. All in all the record sounds classically punk. The production is raw, the tempos varied. Slapshot's "hardness" comes almost entirely from Jack Kelly. Even when Choke is offering up some actual melody--which he does here with maybe surprising frequency--his voice is still gurgling and shredded. This is good introductory material to what is a fairly extensive discography.
Oh! Might I suggest that you all download this (buy it from Taang! too, probably, because I bet the CD includes some cool bio stuff). Put on "Killing Frost". Now run and open up your windows, or turn up your car stereo or your headphones. Good song for long summer days.
Download Here
Buy Here
-Colman
Album: Step On It/Back On The Map [CD Reissue]
Release: 1990
Label: Taang!
Tracklist:
1. Step On It
2. Chameleon
3. No Time Left
4. You've Lost It
5. Show The Way
6. The Same Mistake
7. No Friend Of Mine
8. I've Had Enough
9. Could It Be
10. No Guts No Glory
11. Rise And Fall
12. Hang Up Your Boots
13. Enforcer
14. Chant
15. In Your Face
16. Might Makes Right
17. Gilligan
18. Back On The Map
19. Addiction
20. Where There's Smoke
21. It's Happening Today
22. Chip On My Shoulder
23. Moment Of Truth
24. Killing Frost
Slapshot is probably my favorite band. This hasn't always been the case. But for the past year they have been my most-listened-to hardcore artist. It is a fortunate fact of history that their discography is by and large widely available in repress form and the original CDs abound on Amazon. Maybe not a collectors dream but pretty rad if you ask me. Their songwriting is on-point. While some of their songs may be counted among the most decimating calls-to-mosh in history, they could probably comfortably be listened to by fans of the Jam...
The above record is a reissue CD version of two classic Slapshot records, 1986's "Back On The Map" EP and 1988's "Step On It" LP. In their day, the reputation of Slapshot preceded itself. Jack "Choke" Kelly had previously held the vocalist role in both Last Rights and Negative FX. Bass player Jonathan Anastas had helped write DYS's "Brotherhood". Probably the most famous Slapshot anecdote is that prior to having played their first show the band was described as being a "great live act" in Mike Gitter's zine "xXx". Slapshot's reputation preceded itself. And for good reason.
Slapshot's sound borrows more from Last Rights than either Negative FX or DYS. This is kind of odd considering that--to my knowledge--Choke did not play a song writing role in Slapshot (this is a guess though). The first thing that stands out about Slapshot's debut 12" "Back On The Map" is it's speed. Most of the songs are at half-tempo compared to Last Rights and an even smaller fraction of the speed of Negative FX. The opening riff to "Back On The Map" is a dark creepy-crawl that sends tingles down my spine. When the song picks up it is surprisingly "oi". From the tempo, to Choke's vocal patterns and the content of the song ("we're gonna' get back what we had!") to the barely harmonized gang-vocals in the chorus it sounds like a skinhead anthem.
The album fluctuates from 77-style sounding punk like the song "Addiction" to songs like "Where There's Smoke..." which is a mid-tempo hardcore song emblematic of the best of 80s hardcore and Boston in particular. All in all the record sounds classically punk. The production is raw, the tempos varied. Slapshot's "hardness" comes almost entirely from Jack Kelly. Even when Choke is offering up some actual melody--which he does here with maybe surprising frequency--his voice is still gurgling and shredded. This is good introductory material to what is a fairly extensive discography.
Oh! Might I suggest that you all download this (buy it from Taang! too, probably, because I bet the CD includes some cool bio stuff). Put on "Killing Frost". Now run and open up your windows, or turn up your car stereo or your headphones. Good song for long summer days.
Download Here
Buy Here
-Colman
10 comments:
it's mike gitter (not ritter) but on point post.
Fixed. Thanks!
Fuck that's awesome! I haven't heard this for years. Thanks bro!
fuckin' a! love slapshot
the reason slapshot sounded like last rights is beacause most of the original line up (- jon a) were from last rights.
anon - I think Colman was suggesting that
Seriously dudes, this band sucks so much it almost makes me want to side with Madball. Get a grip.
Mayo mad
Stephen- Explain yourself! If what you say has anything to do with Choke antics (which I understand are innumerable), I don't know anything about that. If Slapshot sucks because you hate their music you'll have to tell me why...
I was referring to the beef between Choke and Hoya that is addressed in "The Last Laugh." But instead of going on a petty rant against this band, I'll just let this video do the talking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbVVYL7v2zc
Highlights: 0:30, 1:07, 1:11
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