Slush

at The Rat
by Scott Hefflon

Slush, huh? Yup, they’re wet, heavy, and have the tendency to make a mess of the place. No, they’re not sloppy, but they make neighbors look out the window and say, “Oh God, Slush!” That’s why I play them loud. Real loud. Their four-song CD, Step Inside, was so noisily moving that it got me to their show at the Rat despite a terrible case of sobriety I’d been battling all week. While the CD is well-produced and could be called progressive hardcore or some such thing, their live presence was pure hardcore mania. Some of their Vermont diehards followed them to the big city to show us cityslickers how to fuck shit up. A fun time was had by all as Slush shoveled out their chunky powergroove, brimming with howls, screams, feedback and not a solo in sight. Singer Jeff Howlett, with his shirt buttoned to the neck and horn-rimmed glasses, flailed and leapt about the stage like Devo-man on a psychotic acid trip. Nearly frothing as he bounded from one side of the stage to the other, Jeff is definitely a showman worth checking out. The band cruised through their set and gained the respect of many who’ve seen countless hardcore bands come and go. Check ’em out.