Slalom D – I Choose My Own Way To Burn

‘I Choose My Own Way To Burn’ is the album new release from Slalom D, and to be absolutely honest about things, this is an album title that sums up this bands ethos and way of doing things so perfectly.  To be a punk band in Sunderland, UK in this day an age is always going to be challenging, but having a fascist controlled local council, and a mind set on the streets to match, push back is needed now more than ever. To choose your own path and burn life’s candle in a way that never submits to the norm or  fall into line, is and always has been this bands calling, so to bring an album out that’s as much a part of their musical journey as it is their political and social calling, an album that reaches past everything that has gone before, an album that never sits on the fence but always fights for a culture and way of life that’s still worth believing in and not past saving yet.

So with all that in mind, ‘Fascist Epidemic’ kicks off this slice of Northern brutal honesty, its soundscape is dark and full of foreboding, which totally brings to life the whole fear around going back to those dark days of the 1930’s and an epidemic of global patriotism that can so easily drag us down that path, producing a vaccine isn’t an option, we are the vaccine, we stand up and be counted is the only way. The second track on this album of superlatives is ‘Varia’ which could refer the Xena Warrior Princess tribe leader Varia but that’s total speculation on my part. Regardless, it is a song that strikes a pose for womanhood and the fact that being a trojan horse and a woman should always be respected and nay revered, again this is typical Slalom D, it musically feeds off the words and surrounds them an overcoat that always fits perfectly.   

Even though many of Slalom D songs can feel like they are rooted in grim dark history, social injustice and hardship, or having to fight the fight just to get equality, what never goes away in their songs is the optimism and feel good uplifting that the music brings. ‘Medusa’ gives off a sense of fuck you to those who want to challenge equality, ‘Harbour Walls’ is a love song to Sunderland and song full of pride in the place the band lives and the good people of the city, and ‘Cosmic Light’ gives a huge hug to everybody, no matter their sexuality or choice of pronoun. What all these song have in common is a musical and lyrical greatness, a feeling that this album has lifted the band to heights beyond anything they have produced before, this is like listening The Stranglers at their sonic best with added lyricism that’s as good as anything you’ll find in the musical or poetic world. 

But also this is a band that now found its strength in togetherness, every single cog in this machine of sonic euphony fits perfectly, Tony Lindstedt on Bass has a way of bringing the melody to every song thats subtle yet unrelentingly euphoric, just listen to the beginning of ‘Jerusalem’ for clarity, Ian Murray on Drums is quite simply adds power timing that’s the pumping heart of the band, take a listen to just the beats in ‘Eagle High’ that are like blood running through the veins of the songs. Antony Bircham on guitar has brought a feel for sound and moment that glues everything together in a new way, his licks are never overstated but always brash an new, ‘White Rose’ shows off this perfectly. Lisa Lindstedt on keyboards has added so many more layers to this band, the whole atmosphere of this album relies on the colour the keyboard adds to the canvas, then finally but not least is Fe Duncan on vocals, what else can be said about this woman’s presence and a delivery? It far out weighs her modesty, what this album has in spades is even more swagger and confidence both vocally and lyrically than any other recording she has performed on before now.

After being along for the ride since the very beginning of this band when Craig Macbeth (how proud would he be now) was on lead vocal, they have now with this album evolved far beyond anything they may have hoped for, this is and should be their time, this is 100% an album of the year and could and should smash down the mainstream barriers.

‘I Choose My Own Way To Burn’ is out Via Serial Bowl Records on September 11th