Inspired by the sanitised, Ari Up-less documentary, Here to be Heard (crap).

Lots of overlap - musically messy, artistically compelling post-punks, high on new ideas and black musical influences, made one hyped album w/ producer Dennis Bovell before getting a bit lost in proto-world music / new age hippie tropes; then dissolution.

I am torn as I am sure Cut is the best album outta the whole bunch, but I am also sure that w/out Bovell (and Budgie on drums) that it would not have been realised in the form that it ultimately took.

What say you?

Ari Up is as captivating a singer as I've ever heard. I love what she does. The Slits have better songs and Budgie is a perfect drummer for what they had going on.

Easily the Slits for me.

Pop Group is okay.

I enjoy this too -

The Slits are a lot of fun (and the second LP is underrated) but none of it grabs me by the throat and shakes me around like the best The Pop Group stuff. Both bands fairly under appreciated in the grand scheme of post punk.

re: Here to be Heard. I remember liking it but it did feel like empty calories. Viv Albertine's first book Clothes.. Music.. Boys.. has a much better recount of the band and that scene at large, the good and bad.

My vote for the Pop Group was cast solely because of their most recent remixes which are fucking fire. I'm actually a bit surprised there aren't any enterprising DJs out there remexing Slits material. "Shoplifting" is due for a rework.

the Slits blew my mind when I heard them at age 14. I’m now 43 and Cut remains one of the most fun records to listen to. there was a great documentary about them on Amazon Prime for a while, showed how the really raw punk songs started and eventually became what they recorded.

The Slits are great, but it's The Pop Group.

The Pop Group are great, but it's The Slits.

The real answer is The Raincoats.

tallchris wrote: Wed Feb 14, 2024 3:36 pm The real answer is The Raincoats.

Good effort on the snarky third answer, but ranked:

Slits
Raincoats
Pop Group

ErikG wrote: Wed Feb 14, 2024 9:04 pm

tallchris wrote: Wed Feb 14, 2024 3:36 pm The real answer is The Raincoats.

Good effort on the snarky third answer, but ranked:

Slits
Raincoats
Pop Group

Agree

Funny how the Raincoats started off in a much different context (much more fragile, timid, personal) yet kinda wound up doin' the proto world-muzak Ladbroke Grove hippie thing on Odyshape, maybe better than the Slits themselves managed on Return of...