No names of band members being provided on the album page, I ran a search for "Slip Madigan" and instead of their individual identities, I learned that the Buffalo, NY, psychedelic rockers had chosen to name themselves after an early 20th century football coach, much in the same way that Jethro Tull had nonsensically borrowed the name of an 18th century British agronomist. But as soon as I hit play it became clear that Pink Floyd, not Tull, was the main influence behind the music.
Right out of the gate, we are greeted by a rather funky, syncopated guitar riff, soon joined by a rock organ, then piano and a groovy rhythm section straight out of the mid-1970s, as promised by the choice of typeface on the album cover. The rest of the album continues along the same lines, never deviating much from the winning formula of sunny, laid-back, multi-layered, mid-tempo rock.
The guys (their Facebook page shows me 5 of them in live concert photos) have done their homework: it sounds exactly like my dad's music, and I mean that in a positive way. It's extremely well executed. I am highly skeptical when people talk about music as a means of "self-expression"; to me it's more akin to an athletic discipline, requiring skill, focus and practice above all. When you think about it, does originality really exist at all? Slip Madigan are by no means reinventing the wheel, but they unquestionably master the classic sound that they have chosen to study. There is virtuosity in the guitar and keyboard leads, precision in the drumming and great articulation in the bass playing.
While the chord progressions are a little bit Bowie, a little bit Beatles, the lead synthesizers would fit right at home on Wish You Were Here or Dark Side of the Moon. Some of the guitar licks have a bit of a Hendrix flavor, while others remind me of Led Zeppelin. If anything leaves a little bit to be desired, it's the lead vocals, which are rather limited in range and expression and whose purpose seems to be to deliver the clever lyrics as intelligibly as possible, rather than stir up emotions. The singer is competent and hits his notes, but in a very even tone, without much fire. There are no big dramatic moments in this album, no crescendoing to a heart-rending wail à la Deep Purple. It's more like a pleasant stroll through the park with your carefree, stoned friends. Perhaps it's just as well: not everything needs to be a tragedy, and the band's main strength clearly lies on the instrumental side, i.e. the actual music.
For an album that in all honesty would appeal to my dad's taste more than mine, it managed to sustain my interest throughout and impress me once or twice with some rather tricky key changes of the kind that you don't hear as often nowadays. The production is also very good, with a clear and detailed but warm sound. Recommended!