Slack Alice - Slack Alice (1974) Vinyl

Rolling behind vivacious vocalist Alice Springs (aka Sandra Barry), Slack Alice hit the UK scene with loose barroom boogie dominating the group's self-titled debut LP. The low budget rollicking recording is accented by pub rock piano fills, while Alice delivers from behind the mic sounding like a mix of Maggie Bell and Suzy Quatro, as evident on opener "Put Me on the Railroad", a simple one-way-trip roller that sets the tone for the majority of the eight song album.

Produced by Robin Freeman, the lengthy "Gravelstone Cottage" is the most ambitious track from the 1974 recording, which deviates from the get-down raunch that follows via "Mama's Gonna Boogie". Horns accent the burlesque inspired "Slack Alice", taking the song into big band land, while Alice hikes up her vocal range on the out-of-place six-minute A-side closer.

The B-side is pushed by "Mr. Sharpshooter" and boasts the live-to-ride "Motorcycle Dream", an open road shuffle rocker that allows Alice to go full throat. Alice takes a backseat on "Southsea Island Girl", allowing guitarist Peter Finberg to handle the vocals. The atmospheric transatlantic trippin' "Na-Me-Nihcam (Soldier of the World)" comes off as a third-rate out-there Bowie cut.

Issued by Phillips Records, Alice Springs next appearance came in '79, via the UK's version of Blondie, as the leggy brunette fronted Darling, a new wave group that was far removed from Slack Alice.~JonFox