Slot-Fiver (1994)

 

Artist: Slot

Title: Fiver 

Label: Third Gear

Format: CD EP

Cat #: 3G-05

Year of Release: 1994

Country and Year of Edition Issue: US 1994

Sold Price: $10.99

Listed Condition: VG+/VG+

Sell Date: 10/3/20

Discogs Last Sold: 11/4/18

Low: $10.00

Median: $10.00

High: $10.00

Current low price: $10.30 NM/NM

Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 2 

Have/Want: 11/5

Where Sold: Detroit, MI

Time it took to sell: 9 years

Where and When Bought: NYC Kims on St Marks 20 cds for $20 deal from $2 shelf

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: C+

Sad To See It Go?: No

Every once in a while, something sells at a price you'd never dream of getting.  This Slot CD EP has sat for close to a decade for sale after being bought in the 90's from a $20 for 20 sale at Kim's Underground from their $2 shelf.  I remember easily finding about 13 titles, then I was stretching to hit 20.  Slot may have been a curio at the time.  They had a single on Sympathy For The Record Industry, and any band that found it's way to that label was deemed worthy of my collection.   However, I had no recollection of this until I looked at their full catalog.   Someone from their hometown threw down $10.99 plus shipping to get the lone copy available by a US seller. A junk stock success for sure!

When I first gave this EP a listen on Logitech computer speakers, I thought the first few tracks sounded like sub-par Soundgarden influenced grunge and began formulating a D+ review in my head, but the last couple tracks grew on me to the point that I decided to give this a second headphone listen before falling asleep last night.  I'm usually not big on "sound" but I have to admit this sounded great in flat Audio-Technica headphones even though I ripped it at 320 and not WAV before it went out the door.  

After 2 listens I can't sing a note for you, but upon further review the guitars were nice and grimy and the vocals seemed better on focused listen.  The drums had almost an Albini wallop, making me wonder if this was indeed recorded in Chicago's hallowed studio.  I was more impressed that it was recorded by John Smerek at White Room Studio in Detroit.  John has such luminaries as the Detroit Cobras and Guzzard on his credit list, so kudos to him for making this sound great.  I can't believe I would utter the words "spacious mix" and mean it.  Especially when compared to the Fetish 69 CD I put on next and fell asleep to.  Maybe this band was bigger locally in Detroit.  It seems like the type of band in the 90's that would tour, play CB's or Continental in NYC at 1am midweek to 8 people.  I often was one of those 8 people, but I don't think I ever saw Slot.  So I'm gonna say this well recorded EP is somewhere between grunge and noise rock of the mid-90's, and slightly above average.