By Deuce

You’ve got to give it up to Christopher Sluka, front man, lead vocalist, and lead guitarist for the band Sluka. He certainly knows how to get in, give a good show, and get out of tune—all before hitting the three-minute marker.

Just peruse “Sunset Screamer” to get a good, full dose of his tendency to do just that. For the duration of the affair he’s operating at about, at least, 105 BPM—though he might’ve also hit the 110 or 115 marker, too. There’s no lengthy introduction, though there is something of a fantastic finish as an instrument or two hangs onto the final note of the record, as though unwilling to let it end.

But what there really is on this one is some galvanizing drumming which, at the high speeds at which Sluka is flying, makes the piece sound all the more electrifying. Credit Michael Bedard with whirling and twirling those cue sticks in time, accentuating the piece with crashing cymbals at the right moments, particularly on the hook.

Plus, longtime collaborator Anna Eppink is more than living up to her end of the arrangement, literally and figuratively on this one, with her wondrous working of the electric bass. The bass line scintillates and is obviously the foundation of the track. Some of the best moments on the tune are when Eppink holds down the low end, Bedard sets the tempo on the drums, and Sluka runs through a melody or two on the verses, or the hook, or the bridge.

What’s remarkable about this cut is it manages to fit all of these progressions and more in as little time as it does. There’s a couple of notes on the piano (played by Christopher himself) that serve as an intro—just not a lengthy one. And, there’s a seemingly interminable descending confetti-like raining of synth notes that attends the verses—which is also your man Chris getting it in.

Apparently at home on the ivories and synths, he even throws in a brief piano solo between the first hook and second verse for good measure, illustrating that he can pretty much do whatsoever he wants on this cut. All of it adds to the energy and gravity of the number, leaving one wanting more.