Listening to
Slipslide's debut full-length is like taking a trip in a time machine back to the late '80s/early '90s when indie pop bands began to get signed by labels with money and headed to proper studios to make big, glossy POP! records. Think of the first
Primal Scream album, or the overlooked
East Village and their Heavenly recordings. Or think bigger and think about early
Lloyd Cole & the Commotions or
the Weather Prophets. These are bands with chiming guitars, crystal-clear vocals, and sparklingly clean melodies, bands that write songs that are emotional and immediate.
Slipslide is a band like that, and
The World Can Wait is an album full of sophisticated, well-played, and well-written songs. Songs like "X Supplies the Answer" and "Baked Alaska" are catchy as heck and would sound good next to "Gentle Tuesday" or "Perfect Skin." Graeme Elston's sweet and sly vocals are perfectly complemented by the full arrangements that manage to sound organic and hand-crafted, yet extremely professional. In an age of computer-aided pop, this is no small feat indeed. There will always be a need for fine pop songs delivered by bands that know how to craft stylish melodies and take the time to record them stylishly. Count
Slipslide among them, buy the record, and don't try to exit the time machine until it comes to a complete stop.