- Slush make bubblegum punk to start parties. Raucous, sweaty and sugar-sweet, their self-titled debut EP is five slices of glorious feminist noise. Using clever word play, thrashy guitars and take- no-prisoners percussion the three piece out of Melbourne are here to say ‘fuck the patriarchy’ but you know, in a fun way.
Their no-holds-barred dash out of the gates with Bleed sets the tone for the EP. Clocking in at just two minutes and forty-six seconds the cut is an ode to a bloody nuisance: the uterus. Rollicking tom rolls and scuzzed out guitar frame vocalist Acacia Coates’ grave exasperation at her own biology.
EP halfway point and lead single Middle Name takes a sweeter turn, treading the uneasy ground of deciphering a burgeoning relationship. Swapping lyrical feistiness for fragility, without skimping on ferocity, the band showcase their deftness at combining garage rock instrumentation with radio friendly lyricism.
Ageing Apple enthusiast, Bono even makes an appearance on the EP - but for all the wrong reasons. On scorching closing track aptly named Bono, Slush call out his 2017 comments about ‘rock music becoming too girly’, with a simple “Bon-NO / Bon-no-no-no-NO!” and a frenetic guitar run that begs to be experienced live.
While the relentless combination of guitar, bass, percussion and vocals all vying for attention in the punk mix can sometimes be a little much for this reviewer, Slush’s wry lyrics and feminist commentary is their saving grace. Like a punch to the gut and a kiss on the cheek, Slush’s debut EP is equal parts biting, cacophonous punk music and the accessible sweetness of pop songs. They’re the ‘Extreme Heat’ Warhead candy of the Australian music scene and I just ate an entire bag.
- Fiona Priddey.