Toronto Slash Needed have been a tireless force on the local scene for several years, earning a place among Class of 2023 by Exclaim!as well as slots at festivals across Canada and the US – and now they've finally released their debut album. SIT AND GRIN. Having mastered their practice of theatrical live performances, the band captured the chaos for an unapologetic debut that was as daring as it was innovative.
Blending industrial, post-punk and techno with vocals that oscillate between exciting and nonchalant, the album opens with the seven-minute devastating “BORDER TOWN” that sets the unsettling pace of the rest of the Josh Korody-produced album. It's followed by the lead single (and the collection's strongest track), “LEATHER,” with its pulsating synths, driving beat and lyrics that could piss off a priest.
Like much of the album, “DOUBLE DARE” sounds like you've already blown out your eardrums along with your home sound system; the band should offer strobes for sale along with vinyl and other merchandise for a complete home listening experience. Slash Need are some of the most exciting acts to come out of Toronto in a while – pay attention, otherwise you might tie yourself in your tights and miss the action.
