The Slack Tide

The Slack Tide's "Bedpost" Chosen for Official 2012 CMJ Festival October Mixtape - www.cmj.com

Sometimes out of tragedy there are positives. It often takes an extreme situation to push a band into the dedication needed to take their group to the next step in a music career. Our new friends in The Slack Tide are a good example of this and are now on their way.

The group from Long Beach, NY has been a staple of the local bar scene for a while, both for their music and their drinking. The Slack Tide’s laid back approach to live shows and spontaneity has made them a fan favorite. It took the fate of the coming Superstorm Sandy that hit the northeast coast to force the boys to grab their instruments and head for higher ground in Manhattan. While stuck in this little apartment for three days, power was lost, warm beer was drank, and music was written. A year later these songs were chosen to feature on The Slack Tide’s debut album.

Released on October 31st, 2014, on the 2 year anniversary of the Superstorm that spawned it All The Channels In Between is more than just a collection of random songs. Right from the opener “Change” you can feel that this is going to be a fun listen. The guitars bounce along with Rory Thompson’s entertaining singing style. Some more raw emotion is thrown onto tape on “Honey Suckle Rose” with its raw but upbeat sound. The band shows a more rocking side on “Casino” with driving guitar and a fast paced drumbeat pushing the song forward and getting your foot tapping along. The record closes as it began with more fun on “Shake Your Mind”. It leaves you with that feel that the band is playing at a raucous house party that you were lucky enough to get invited to. For more good times keep up with The Slack Tide at: www.theslacktide.com - Indie Band Guru

All The Channels In Between, from the Long Island, NY group The Slack Tide‘s origins lie in the powerless times following Hurricane Sandy, two years ago. While sensible people were evacuating, The Slack Tide took refuge at a shelter in Manhattan. The shelter lost power, and the band lived off of warm beer and tequila, and jammed. These jam sessions would be the genesis of the 7 songs that make up ATCIB.

You might assume that this would result in a flurry of drunken excess, but The Slack Tide are serious about their music, even while inebriated and waiting out a hurricane, as this album is tight and focused, full of all kinds of interesting songwriting ideas.

The Slack Tide have been described as a “love child between Jack White and The Black Keys, going on to form a Sublime cover band.” And while i have enjoyed all of those bands at times, this is not the highest possible recommendation for those ears. It seems to be difficult to do something interesting in the world of blues rock ‘n roll.

As such, i was geared up to judge harshly, as this has not been my bag too much lately, and my first couple of visitations reflected that attitude. The music seemed brash and loud, crying out for attention. But i always go deeper, trying to figure out who the artists are, as well as their audience, to best deduce whether an album succeeds or plummets, on its own terms.

I cooled my critical bootheels; i mellow out, and took another listen, and found a number of good things about this music.

First, and most importantly, for me; i dig the riffs! Super catchy and energetic riffs are often doubled between instruments, either just guitars, or sometimes on organ or bass, which gives the rough ‘n ready White Stripes blues rawk a hint of fuzzy stoner intensity; a very necessary pinch of The Melvins or Kyuss, to prevent this from merely being radio rock. The presence of unison riffs always indicates a band that know their shit, have spent their time refining their craft, tooling and re-tooling their songs until they’re a parfait of awesomeness!

Good examples of this are the songs “Bedpost”, which starts off as some Ben Folds/Elton John piano pop, before breaking into a singalong unison groove. Or the crunchy, crushing soul vibes of “Schoolyard Brawl”, my particular favorite track, well worth the price of admissions. Fluid blues lines meet a skiffle drumbeat and some nearly industrial sounds at the beginning.

All right, i judged harshly, and hastily. I should refrain from making opinions about people’s bands when i’ve been sick and haven’t eaten in two days.

The Slack Tide seem like they want to have a good time, to inject some positivity into the world, in the form of catchy sunshiny guitar riffs, which is something the world needs.

All the hardships have led to The Slack Tide taking their music more seriously, after experiencing a moving Thanksgiving dinner at a shelter, right after Hurricane Sandy. The band were moved by the collective kindness of their home, and wanted to make positive music, to reflect that.

Not careerist, or bandwagon hopping, after all.

All The Channels In Between seems like a good promo to check out The Slack Tide live, where they are known for laid-back and impromptu performances, frequently bringing audience members on stage and hold singalongs. There’s not too much in the way of post-production, although the riffs are occasionally swathed in bits of atmospheric electronics, courtesy of keyboardist Dave Lynch (not the director, as far as i know, although he is a musician.)

Rory Thompson’s vocals are a bit of an acquired taste, somewhere in the orbit of Andy from Mouse Rat. Like Mouse Rat, The Slack Tide excel because of their lack of pretentiousness and positivity – striving merely to be awesome, devoid of pretense.

And that’s what it takes.

So here’s to music made by humans, and here’s to not judging based on the flavor of the moment, or even yr own prejudices. Records are a piece of someone’s soul, a time of their lives, and even the glossiest pop production has an atom of holiness.

Let’s never forget it. Let’s never become jaded. Thanks to The Slack Tide for reminding me.

The Slack Tide, if yr reading, best of luck in all yr endeavors, and keep churning out those crunchy, fuzzy riffs. - Forest Punk