A girl-punk dream, The Slits’ Trapped Animal brings the genre back to its gritty roots at the hands of punk rock royalty.
Decades ago, the British all-female punk/reggae legends the Slits sang about feminist, social, and political subjects in an era of cheesy ’70s pop starlets. After disbanding in the early ’80s, two original members, vocalist Ari Up and bassist Tessa Pollitt, returned in 2006 with the Revenge of the Killer Slits EP. Now with three new additions, including rock royalty Hollie Cook (daughter of Sex Pistol Paul Cook), this latest incarnation delivers the fantabulous effort, Trapped Animal. The electronic-ska opener “Ask Ma” has Up calling out misogynistic mommies’ boys and declaring, “Mothers, make some noise!” Pop-reggae stomper “Pay Rent” protests working dull day jobs over doing what you love, and “Reject” has the classic Slits’ offbeat tempo and makeshift punk sound, complete with Up’s jungle yelps. The Slits are back, with a message to all those fashion-punk posers out there—your 15 minutes are officially up.
