If No Depression and Two Nickels on the Dime are one side of country punk, then Late Slip is the other. Channeling the pop and country of the mono 60s and then throwing in a surprising punch of power, Chelsea Ninni and her bandmates have created something fun and strangely affecting.

Late Slip I Love You (Party Mermaid)

Yes, there is a bit of She & Him in all of this. But Late Slip gives all of its influences a freer reign (that Ninni can sound like Ronnie Spector and Dolly Parton in the same song is quite the feat) and is just more of a ramble.

Ninni professes to be a huge Elvis fan, and her exuberance and willingness to be outre and silly is just one example of his influence. It's kinda wild to hear a song that sounds like something Brian Wilson might have written in his (fictional) rockabilly period, or a straightforward country song that kicks far more ass than it ought.

Totally retro, and yet a fully modern concoction as well. Late Slip dances on the edge while it luxuriates in the sounds of yesteryear. That sort of friction keeps this set sounding fresh and fun. Now that this exists, I wonder how Late Slip will mix the ingredients next time. Shaken, always.

Jon Worley