slim tailor - the slim tailor EP

Slim Tailor

The Slim Tailor EP
self-released; 2014

3.5 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Slim Tailor is a guy but is also the moniker for the trio made up of Slim Tailor (guitarist/vocalist) Eric Blais (bass/ vocals) & Joan Quinto (drums/vocals). They recently released their first effort as a three piece entitled The Slim Tailor EP, which sounds more or less like a refined demo that showcases how these guys sound live. After listening to the EP this is the type of music that is best enjoyed live. It contains funky bass lines, wah guitar, sing-along type vocals and the kind of energy that will keep people drinking all night long. One of the best components about the music is the vocals. Slim Tailor has a versatile range and he mixes up his singing style enough to keep the songs engaging. The music isn't too shabby either although I have to admit that if the recording sounding better I would have been able to get into the grooves a bit more.

The band starts off strong with the highlight of the album entitled “My Island.” They pull off a ‘70s funk vibe that fits best with the band as opposed to some of the styles they attempt later. Perhaps the most unique part of the song is that the chorus loses some of the funk and replaces it with something you might hear from an alternative band. This song contains a catchy vocal melody that was arguably the most memorable on the EP,

The next song “Mr. Sinnerman” dumps the funk for reggae. It wasn’t a bad song but maybe just not as original sounding as some of the other material on the album. “Bounce” is a straight up fun song and Slim Tailor delivers a vocal performance that is on par with the first song. The band flexes its muscles a bit more as well by implementing intricate timing changes.

“Nova Stella” is a vocally charged song that contains a lot of space for the singing to breathe. There is also a pretty intense guitar solo that you won't want to miss.

Slim Tailor is a fun band, They aren’t reinventing the wheel at this point and as of right now seem like an accomplished live band. This is a solid effort with a couple of songs of note but I would love to hear better production at some point.

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