Music > Album Reviews

Slaves - Take Control

29/09/16

On their second LP in 18 months, Kent “we’re not punk” punks Slaves have kept their bark, but lost their bite.

Take Control jerks uncomfortably between genius and genuinely terrible, spending too long rehashing old songs that could be Are You Satisfied? rejects, rather than trying new ventures. Spit It Out is a powerful opening statement but Hypnotised is almost identical to last year’s Sockets with more F-bombs thrown in. Take Control and Play Dead are similar affairs, bulking up the record with more than enough 2-minute-something fireballs of energy that firmly establish Slaves as a live band far more than an album one.

But there are glimmers of innovation between the angry shouting; Mike D (of the Beastie Boys) kicks Consume Or Be Consumed firmly up the arse to create one of the most brilliantly deranged collabs of the year, and Lies sits as the most formative part of the album with zesty Jamie T/The Streets melodies. Steer Clear sees Slaves at their most heartfelt, with a drum track ticking away poignantly as Isaac and Baxter Dury deliver a solemn duet. Take Control shows that Slaves have more up their sleeves than just volume, but are yet to shape it into anything cohesive.

6/10