Slick Shoes/Autopilot Off

Split CD (2000)

Scott Heisel

The split CD can be a blessing or a curse. If you are a relatively unknown band and are able to snag one with a popular act [i.e. Useless I.D. and The Ataris], it can do wonders for your career. Conversely, on a split CD, you might put your best material on the CD, but the other band can still blow you out of the water, which makes you look foolish. That is the case here. Slick Shoes is a strong melodic punk band. They remind me a lot of Unwritten Law, especially the vocals, which need to come WAY down in the mix. The singer drowns out the band a decent amount of time in their first 3 songs on the CD. Their fourth song is a stupid outtakes song, with random retarded soundbites thrown in. Skip it. Slick Shoes had definite potential, I would stay on the lookout for them.

We then move on to Cooter, who once again are able to crank out more catchy punk rock than yo ucan shake a stick at. Yes, people call them unoriginal, but I disagree. Their vocals to me seem to have more of a pleading aspect to them, and a definite sense of urgency. You feel bad if you put this CD on and forget to listen to the singing. And yes, the guitar parts and drum parts would fit into the Fat Wreck camp, but what can one expect? There's not much territory left to be covered by punk rock within itself, so you're best off looking for the best imitators of the best bands to get you through the day. Cooter is not a NOFX or a Lagwagon, and probably never will be, but that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy them. So, the final tally on this CD is one great band, and one band with a lot of promise. Not a bad purchase.
[taken from a different kind of greatness webzine]