Fine Anni '70. Inghilterra. Periodo caldo nella vecchia Albione, il punk esplodeva in tutta la sua fragorosa carica sovversiva e band come i Sex Pistols e i Clash incendiavano Londra con la loro musica e i loro distruttivi concerti.
Proprio sul finire degli anni '70, 1976 per la precisione, a Ladbroke Grove, quartiere nella periferia ovest di Londra. prende corpo il progetto delle Slits: Viv Albertine alla chitarra, Ari Upp Forster al canto, Tessa Pollitt al basso, Palmolive alla batteria.
Le Slits sono semplicemente la prima band punk formata interamente da ragazze, e che ragazze (guardare la copertina per credere!)... le allegre riot girls, non propriamente diplomate al conservatorio, diciamo così, sapevano però combinare le loro non eccelse capacità musicali con una grinta, un'energia ed una passione fuori dal comune. Ebbero vita breve le Slits, dal momento che si sciolsero nel 1981, tuttavia la loro "influenza-esperienza" musicale riecheggia fino ai giorni nostri.
Cut è il loro primo disco ed è senza ombra di dubbio il loro migliore, esce per la Island, etichetta storica per la musica jamaicana ed è prodotto dal produttore reggae Dennis Bovell, che aveva già lavorato in precedenza con i Pop Group. Non a caso le influenze del suono caraibico sono fortissime: atmosfere dub, rocksteady, reggae, ma anche funk si fondono all'approccio punk e nichilisticamente naif delle ragazze.
Tutto l'entusiasmo e la forza travolgente del punk, combinato a linee di basso e riff di chitarra feroci ed incalzanti.
La loro musica è mossa da un'incredibile urgenza espressiva e da un approccio squisitamente genuino e menefreghista, quasi ingenuo: le loro melodie a volte ricordano delle cantilene, a volte delle marcette mentre gli urletti di Ari Upp, quelli di una bambina cui hanno rubato il chupa-chups (vero Bjork?!).
Le canzoni sono tutte attraversate da un senso di spensieratezza e di grande sense of humour, tuttavia non disdegnando affatto tematiche di protesta e di denuncia contro le sfrenato consumismo, il music-biz ed il conformismo inglese.
Il disco si apre con l'ipnotica "Instant Hit", prosegue con la compulsiva "So Tough", dedicata Sid Vicious e Johnny Rotten e ancora le velenose "Spend, Spend, Spend" e "Shoplifting".
Nel disco infine trova spazio anche una cover in versione ska di "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" di Marvin Gaye che chiude mirabilmente questo gioiellino, gemma grezza e rudimentale, che tuttavia continua a risplendere nell'universo post-punk
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Instant Hit (02:43)
He is a boy
He's very thin
Until tomorrow
Took heroin
Don't like himself very much
'Cause he has set to set to self-destruct
He is
Set to self-destruct
He is
Too good to be true
Enjoy it
Destroy it
He is
Too good to be true
He is
Set to self-destruct (set to self-destruct)
Enjoy it
Destroy it
I could
Hate you anytime
I could
Give you anything
Enjoy it
Destroy it
I forgive you anything
But I could
Hate you anytime
Enjoy it
Destroy it
He is
Set to self-destruct
02 So Tough (02:41)
He had fun experience
Nothing he does ever makes sense
He is only curious
Don't take it serious
So tough
You can't take anymore now you're getting weak
So tough
Don't start playing hide and seek
So hard
Why do you think he got like that?
So hard
Don't think about it much 'cause it's just rut
You had fun experience
Nothing he does ever makes sense
He is only curious
Don't take it serious
So strong
They say you're acting like a star
So strong
They say not everything's wonderbar
Too long
You want money, girls urgently
Too long
Too much, too soon you wait and see
Too much
You hang around her 'cause she's a good mate
Too much
Milkshakes and cherry cheesecake
Too fast
They want to stop you having kicks
Slow down
Don't fuck things up by getting sick... again
You had fun experience
Nothing he does ever makes sense
He is only curious
Don't take it serious
So tough
You can't take anymore now you're getting weak
So tough
Don't start playing hide and seek
So hard
Why do you think he got like that?
So hard
Don't think about it much 'cause it's just a rut
You had fun experience
Nothing he does ever makes sense
He is only curious
Don't take it serious
04 Shoplifting (01:39)
Put the cheddar in the pocket
Put the rest under the jacket
Talk to the cashier, he won't suspect
And if he does...
Do a runner!
Ten quid for the lot
We pay fuck all
Babylonian won't lose much
And we'll have dinner tonight
Do a runner!
Camera's trying to watch us
Mirrors and TV
But they're not gonna catch us
'Cause we're gonna gonna gonna run run run
Do a runner!
Run!
Ten quid for the lot
We pay fuck all
Babylonian won't lose much
And we'll have dinner tonight
Do a runner!
Run!
(I've pissed in my knickers)
05 FM (03:35)
FM
(Palmolive)
I live in a town with a hundred lights around,
my head is like a radio set,
I'm waiting to hear what program comes next.
Frequent Mutilation transmits over the air,
serving for the purpose
of those who want you to fear.
They say is all right, but suspicion creeps in
my nightmares don't project my dreams
I can't but wonder what's feeding my screen.
Frequent Mutilation transmits over the air,
serving for the purpose
of those who want you to fear.
Thousand nights of confusion wedge in my mind
breaking down another illusion,
today's transmission will give me the solution.
Frequent Mutilation transmits over the air,
serving for the purpose
of those who want you to fear.
08 Love und Romance (02:27)
Babylon love us...oh Babylon love us
Oh oh oh sweet love und romance
Ain't it something?
Man, let's dance!
Want you with me all the time
You promised angel that you're mine
(She wants you, she wants you)
I own you!
See you later, alligator (you're mine)
(She wants you, she wants you)
In awhile crocodile
I'm so HAPPY!
You're so NICE!
Kiss kiss kiss!
Fun fun LIFE!
I'm so glad that you belong to me
Oh my darling, who wants to be free?
Together we can reach the stars
Oh yeah, baby, we'll go far
(She wants you, she wants you)
Spread your wings and let me come inside
(She wants you, she wants you)
In awhile crocodile
I'm so HAPPY!
You're so NICE!
Kiss kiss kiss!
Fun fun LIFE!
Oh oh oh sweet love und romance
I'm so glad we met by chance
Call you everyday on the telephone
Break your neck if you ain't home
We can get married and have a house in the country
Love's a feeling... and so is stealing
Do ya hear me?
I hear ya!
I'm so HAPPY!
You're so NICE!
Kiss kiss kiss!
Fun fun LIFE!
Fun fun fun I'm having fun
Hee hee hee!
It's such a love
Hee hee hee!
Now we're one
Life's a gas all the time
You're so lovely, you're so fine!
(She wants you, she wants you)
Are you ready for this?
Are you ready for this?
Gimmee a great big kiss
I'm so HAPPY!
You're so NICE!
Kiss kiss kiss!
Fun fun LIFE!
09 Typical Girls (03:57)
Don't create
Don't rebel
Have intuition
Can't decide
Typical girls get upset to quickly
Typical girls can't control themselves
Typical girls are so confusing
Typical girls - you can always tell
Typical girls don't think too clearly
Typical girls are unpredictable (predictable)
Typical girls try to be
Typical girls very well
Typical girls are looking for something
Typical girls fall under spells
Typical girls buy magazines
Typical girls feel like hell
Typical girls worry about spots, fat, and natural smells
Sniky fake smells
Typical girls try to be
Typical girls very well
Don't create
Don't rebel
Have intution
Don't drive well
Typical girls try to be
Typical girls very well
Can't decide what clothes to wear
Typical girls are sensitive
Typical girls are emotional
Typical girls are cruel and bewitching
She's a femme fatale
Typical girls stand by their man
Typical girls are really swell
Typical girls learn how to act shocked
Typical girls don't rebel
Who invented the typical girl?
Who's bringing out the new improved model?
And there's another marketing ploy
Typical girl gets the typical boy
The typical boy gets the typical girl
The typical girl gets the typical boy
Are emotional
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