Till Deaf Do Us Part is Slade's hardest-rocking album ever. Their playing is at its fiercest and the material totally kicks ass. While this was not quite the commercial success the band was hoping for, it didn't kill their momentum by any means. They were now packing halls again instead of playing to half-empty small clubs. The disc includes three songs that would be played live at every gig the band did from this LP's release until they stopped playing out. The opener, "Rock and Roll Preacher," features Noddy Holder praying at the altar of rock & roll. This number is so blistering, one wonders just how heavy these guys can get. Answer: very. "Lock Up Your Daughters" is as catchy as it gets and maintains the furious instrumental pace of the record. "Daughters" is a perfect example of how far the band had come. It retains the almost bubblegum sound of the earlier singles, while the heavy production style gives it a bit more of a hard-rocking edge. The wonderfully Slade-esque "Ruby Red," which failed as a single, makes a good album track, and "A Night to Remember" is definitely a song to remember, as it ups the intensity ante. Also included is the hysterical "That Was No Lady That Was My Wife" and a rare song written by Dave Hill, an innocuous little instrumental called "M'Hat, M'Coat." This is noteworthy, since from the earliest days of the band all the originals were by Jim Lea and Holder. This LP shows a band with renewed enthusiasm and confidence. And by the way, the original album cover (drawing of an ear with a bent nail in it) is way cooler than the CD cover (band shot in flames). Recommended for rockers.
© Geoff Ginsberg /TiVo