Ari Up
Dread More Dan Dead (Collision)
By Charlotte Robinson
Published: September 28th, 2005 | 10:01am
The Slits secured their place as one of the great bands of British punk by moving beyond three-chord guitar rock into dub reggae and avant-garde sounds. The range of territory they explored before their 1981 demise stands as a testament to their taste and talent, as does the flurry of new releases hitting stores lately: the reissue of their debut, Cut, Live at the Gibus Club, the Man Next Door 12", and vocalist Ari Up's first full-length solo album.
Ari Up's role in the Slits cannot be underestimated. Adorned with ratty hair (now replaced by gigantic dreads) and daring homemade outfits, she warbled, fluttered, and wailed around the notes like a deranged bird in the throes of death. After spending many years traveling, raising children, and designing clothes, Up has spent the last few years bouncing between New York City and Jamaica, performing and gearing up to reclaim the Slits' legacy.
Dread More Dan Dead finds Up in fine form. Her voice can still careen and flutter like in the old days, but most of the time, she shows off a surprisingly strong talent for rapping. Musically, most of the tracks sound like the logical extension of the Slits' sound, but incorporating elements of dancehall and electronic beats. One exception is "Allergic," which is full of punky guitar and bratty putdowns. Up also displays plenty of attitude on "Young Boy," a take-off on Gary Puckett's 1960s hit "Young Girl."
The Slits' songs were full of wordplay and snarky attitude, and while Up retains those elements, she's also not afraid to show her tender side on tracks like "True Warrior" and "Can't Share." Dread More Dan Dead certainly isn't Slits redux, but shows that Ari Up has matured as a performer without sacrificing any of her edge.
Issue #28
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