The Slits - Typical Girls (1983)

The title of this album, and the single of the same name, is ironic, as The Slits were anything but typical girls. Starting out as a ram-shackled punk band  before finding their feet with a healthy injection of reggae, they were a pioneering band of the punk and new wave era. The band formed in 1976 when Ari Up and Palmolive were joined by Viv Albertine and Tessa Pollitt, and quickly became a live favourite, supporting The Clash on their 1977 White Riot tour. They caught the attention of John Peel, who offered them two sessions for his radio show, and some of those tracks are captured here to show what the band originally sounded like as an intensely raucous punk band. When they went into the studio to record their debut album, they took Dennis Bovell on board as their producer, and his influence helped mould the punk/reggae sound of 'Cut' - one of the defining releases of the post-punk era. Their split 7" single with The Pop Group 'In The Beginning There Was Rhythm/'Where There's A Will There's A Way' was another highlight of their career, and subsequent singles kept up that high standard. The band split up shortly after the release of their second studio album 'Return Of The Giant Slits', and although Ari Up and Tessa Pollitt briefly reformed the group in 2005 to release the 'Revenge Of The Killer Slits' album, it's their run of singles from 1979 to 1981, plus the 'Cut' album, for which they are most fondly remembered. This album starts with seven songs from their Peel sessions, so show what they sounded like 'in the beginning', before 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' heralds the change of style for all subsequent releases. 'Man Next Door' is an exclusive mix of the A and B-sides of the 7" single to make one 8 minute track.  

Track listing

01 Love And Romance
02 Vindictive
03 New Town
04 Shoplifting
05 So Tough
06 Instant Hit
07 FM
08 I Heard It Through The Grapevine
09 Man Next Door
10 In The Beginning There Was Rhythm
11 Earthbeat And Earthdub
12 Begin Again Rhythm