Absolutely hammering a Fender Jazz through an Ampeg rig, Julie Slick’s tonal approach is dirty, turgid, and snarling throughout Side Four. Paired with brother Eric Slick on drums, the power trio combines 20th-century vintage tone with 21st-century chops for a modern update of the classic King Crimson rhythm-section sound. Julie is a firebrand on Crimson classics “Dinosaur” and “Thela Hun Gunjeet,” but it’s even more fun to hear her and her bro take it out on improv pieces like the hyper-driven “Beat Box Guitar” and the nastier “A Litte Madness.” Belew’s Side Four is a loud, aggressive, engaging romp, the sound of a heavy rock power trio metaphorically breaking a bottle over their heads in the midst of a wild party and screaming in delight, and Julie Slick cuts through the din as if her bass was a battle axe.
- Bryan Beller