The Slits - Revenge of the Killer Slits

By Sarah Cordingley

Thursday December 14, 2006

Saf Record

Ari Up is the perfect example of fame doing weird things to a person; How do you go from running naked through the backyard forest, not giving a fuck to wearing vinyl booty shorts and rapping about how legendary you are? And why is “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” the Slits song that DJs seem to like to play? It’s fucking awful. Maybe it’s because, until recently, they’ve been one timelessly hip band that doesn’t fit in with snazzy dance club punk. Well now they fit in brilliantly, but this EP is anything but timelessly hip. Revenge is, to be honest, completely terrible, but I can’t help but tell myself (and everyone I know) that it’s the best thing ever. I love it! Viv Albertine and Palmolive have been replaced by a team of programmers and producers, and Ari’s tacky dancehall rapping is ridiculous. But when that “Slits Tradition” chorus kicks in it’s just too perfect.