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Today’s Shuffler: The Slants

It’s been said that everything that could be done in music has been done already; new artists are inherently boring, with nothing that is original or creative to offer. But those people hadn’t heard The Slants (yet), a band who has everyone screaming for some “Chinatown Dance Rock.”

It was early 2006, when Simon Young decided to leave his group, The Stivs, to start a synth-pop outfit. In essence, he wanted to create synthesizer-driven rock n’ roll but with an Asian twist. Enter Gaijin, who answered one of Young’s numerous calls for Asian musicians. Though he wasn’t Asian himself, the two found a common love for The Faint, Depeche Mode, New Order, Joy Division, and of course, sushi. After some shuffling with the line up, The Slants were formed and began playing in mid-2007.

Within three months of their first show, The Slants have already found themselves with international press. Also, within this time, they released their first record: Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts.

On the album, Aron’s voice powers through songs reflecting of love and loss, as well as thoughtful prose about struggling with an Asian identity in American Society. Jen Cho leads the way with danceable synth leads, as well as adds sultry back-up vocals in tracks like “Kokoro (I Fall to Pieces)” and “I Want Everything.” Throughout the album, AC’s drums keep the dance flavor alive.PDX-Pole calls The Slants “controversial but well loved.” It’s true, the name has stirred some controversy, bringing the band even more attention. Bassist and founder Simon Young explains, “Most of the people that find our name racist aren’t even Asian! We’re saying to the world ‘We’re proud of who we are, we aren’t going to hide it.’ In fact, our biggest support has been from the Asian community itself!”

The culmination of all of the band members’ experience totals to over 2,500 live performances, cross-country tours, hundreds of hours in the studio, and working with some of the biggest names in the business. The Slants are now poised to take on the world with their own music and presence, their own name.

Now on to the shuffle… Read more

Tags: Shuffled!.

Eugene passed me the Slants album a couple weeks back. “They’re new wave,” he said. I thought of the Cure and when I saw them in 2004, Robert Smith came as strong and melancholy as ever, hair sprayed up in a liz-taylor-at-five-in-the-morning ‘doo.

Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts, the first album from the Portland based band, is less goth darkness and more techno pop. The album’s filled with hard beats and loud synth riffs that are easy to jump around to. I listened to it on my iPod, but it’s made to be blasted from large venue speakers. Read more

Tags: CD, Reviews.