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July
1996| CMJ
You could say that rock bands are a dime a dozen these days, and rock
musicians need to find a way to express their individuality through music
in order to set their bands apart. Well, New York City trio Slambook has
done just that by making not just rock music but a sound picture. The
band throw intricate guitar rhythms, quaking drums beats and diligent
lyricism in a blender, selected a cycle, topped it off with a bit of mystique
and viola,you have With Riddles And Shears in a glass with a fancy straw.
With a grinding guitar sound paving the way, "Hollywood Ten" shifts from
almost heavy to very heavy and then back again, Tony Dinoff's strained
vocals setting an intense mood. Four brief instrumentals are sprinkled
throughout the album, revealing the band's virtuosity and ability to quickly
strike a tone. Of the more fully formed songs,"Petrified Forest" begins
with a few spare drum hits and guitar strums, which don't exactly bubble
beneath Dinoff's singing, but act as equal partners with the vocals, the
harmonies near the latter part of the song reflecting a symphonic symbiosis.
His vocals on "Tenpin Smile" are more relaxed, the guitars and rhythms
playing along, and eventually building to cathartic release. Slambook's
attention to musical detail and command of shaping the mood make With
Riddle And Shears a record that's definitely worth spending time with.
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