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Addictive pub rock with a sprinkle of American attitude, it’s time to ramble on with The Slingers

Given their similar, dive bar origins, it’s surprising we don’t see more Aussie pub bands adopting the twang of old school American rock ‘n’ roll. If that sounds like something you’d get around, allow us to introduce The Slingers.

From their beginnings in a Port Melbourne warehouse this year, this five-piece have quickly cut their teeth in the grimy Victorian pub circuit, honing their sound into something with immediacy and attitude. Basically, you need to get around this band.

the slingers melbourne

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young reincarnated in seaboard Melbourne, The Slingers are making waves with their middle America-tinged pub drawl.

Only last week, their latest single This Time landed in our laps through triple j Unearthed. It’s a follow-on from their debut EP Fake Fruit, and given the band’s age you’ve got to hand it to these guys… they’re already bringing both the quality and the quantity to the table.

Their lead guitarist has some mad chops, adding his lively, characteristic tone to each of their tunes. The guitar warbles in and out of the mix each time, wriggling with a life of its own which seems almost improvised on the spot. Impressive stuff.

Meanwhile the vocalist feels like it grew straight out of New Orleans 40 years ago. Echoing middle American rock roots as well as more modern contemporaries Alabama Shakes or Ed Sharpe, it’s the kind of timbre that makes you want to shake your cowboy boots.

Fake Fruit is alarmingly proficient for a debut EP. Rattling from introspective, rambling jams to more upbeat rompers, it’s a seriously impressive body of work.

Each song clocking in at roughly five minutes long save for Happy Birthday (which lands perfectly on the eight minute mark), you’ll definitely hear a touch of The War On Drugs in this already tasty recipe.

If you enjoy anything from the ragged neo-Americana of The Black Keys, to the dolewave trend sweeping suburban Melbourne, to the sweeping lyricism of Neil Young, you’ll find something magical in The Slingers. I guarantee it.

 

Catch The Slingers live on a few key dates throughout the remainder of 2017:

Sun 15 Oct – Cherry Bar, Melbourne – Details
Tues 31 Oct – The Gasometer, Melbourne – Details
Fri 15 Dec – Mon 18 Dec – Rabbit Hole Festival, Merton – Tickets