King Of The Slums - Manco Diablo (2017)

In late June 2017 The band release a new album, "Manco Diablo". It will be the band's 5th official album. A fantastic, powerful piece of work from one of the most unique artists to come out of Manchester. UK. 1st official review is below…

Once upon a time in the mid-to-late 80’s Manchester group King of the Slums were lauded by the press as ‘a curiously self-contained pocket of mischief and pathos’. Simultaneously resigned and optimistic with titles such as ‘Leery Bleeder’ and ‘The Pennine Spitter’ they represented a gritty, humorous and impassioned kitchen sink realism that was absent in the music of their contemporaries. As the decade turned and Madchester began to take hold King of the Slums attempted to swim with the tide. Their third album ‘Blowzy Weirdos’, whilst not without its merits, couldn’t but be influenced by the all-pervasive sounds that surrounded them. With one foot in the fast, melodic guitar/electric violin led sound of previous releases ‘Barbarous English Fayre’ and ‘Dandelions’ and the other tentatively edging towards the E’d up swing of Madchester baggydom the new sound received mixed reviews. Internal differences and record company disputes had also taken their toll. King of the Slums weren’t waving, they were drowning. It came as a shock to no one when they chose to disband in 1991.

“I consider it memorable, how easily I’ll be forgotten” lead singer Charlie Keigher once wrote. For a long time, this held true and as the press manufactured Britpop took over, laddishly lurching and gurning its way towards the millennium, the memories began to fade. In the intervening years there was scant mention of the band. One rumour circulated claiming that Keigher had disappeared to South America and could be found travelling around Argentina painting churches. The elusive and private front man seemed to have vanished into the Buenos Aires Triangle.

However, as time rolled on, the strength of their original sound remained undiminished whereas those more fashionable at the time can now be reflected on as mere dated pastiche. A small but vociferous number of devoted fans remained.

In 2009 a new limited-edition album, ‘The Orphaned Files’ emerged. The low-key offering was billed under the moniker of King of the Slums / Slum Cathedral User (the bands original name). It can be viewed as an underrated mix of atmospheric ambient dark dance rock tracks which were coupled with a selection of older, rare material. However, whilst still largely off the radar, King of the Slums had been spotted and they weren’t intent on hanging around to answer questions.

That a new album (in its fullest sense) ‘Manco Diablo’, should appear in 2017 is astounding. The sense of anticipation on viewing the mysterious and somewhat sinister vintage photo on the album cover combined with track titles such as ‘Toxic Skip Rats’ and ‘Crooked Flowers’ was palpable. The fact that once played it then went on to match and exceed those expectations is nothing short of miraculous.

Opening track ‘Church Bells Over England’ with its insistent, hypnotic melody reflects on a divided nation and the art of self-deception ‘It’s church bells over England/not sirens wailing’.

Social divisions are further ruminated on in ‘Punting in Oxbridge’ a gloriously, heavy track that pummels the listener into submission – ‘Some families go punting in Oxbridge/Some by mid-week have an empty fridge’.

‘The Bleeding Obvious’ and ‘Secrets, Rain, Chips and Dreams’ look at the mundanities of a day to day existence whereby its participants are just about getting by……but with dreams, hopes and a glint in the eye that has not quite yet been extinguished.

‘Bonfire of the Controllers’ and ‘Data Thief Shot Dead’ mull over notions of identity and control when every personal element of our life in the modern age is outsourced to an impersonal device coupled with those who wish to use this fact to their advantage. Remaining in the technological age ‘Dark web groomer’ reflects the anonymous, insidious nature of the modern-day bogeyman. One that can be in your house or on your phone that you can’t easily run away from. The music like the subject matter is heavy……the twisted, malevolent Manco Diablo in pursuit of its quarry.

‘Crooked Flowers’ resembles a song in two sections. In the first half, the music gives the sense of looking onto wasteland through steamed up binoculars. You wipe them clean, look through again and swaggering towards you are a group of surly teenagers, long hair, denim jackets, looking for trouble. It’s rather like the arch-enemies of the Red Hand Gang approaching you with malicious intent…. if the Red Hand Gang had been made by BBC children’s television and set in Salford in the late 1970’s. Trust me, you’ll understand when you hear it. The second half is a reflection on extremism and how dangerous ideologies can be made to sound plausible, appeal to the emotions and find fertile ground amongst the dispossessed and alienated in society ‘Plant an evil seed/watch crooked flowers grow……Call it freedom/inside a twisted skin’.

Tracks ‘Red Canal Witness’ and ‘Toxic Skip Rats’ are more intimate, poignant, introspective reflections. The first focusing on trying to comprehend witnessing the aftermath of a suicide, the latter dealing with personal depressions and insomnia.

‘Lost in Translation’ is arguably the albums crowning glory. We are witness to an inconsolable loss which cannot be put into words. As the song builds towards a crescendo Charlie goes into almost religious, mystical reverie. The closing lyrics ’my desolation /gets lost in translation/My salvation/gets lost in translation’ take on a haunting, medieval monastic chant quality, repeated over and over in an act of despair and hypnotic self-flagellation. The music spins like a gyroscope faster and faster until it reaches its inevitable self-implosion.

The albums ‘narrative arc’ (see highly amusing disclaimer on the back of the CD) ends with ‘Fast Spinning Chandelier’ which slows the pace down and dwells on the best laid plans gone awry but without nostalgic regrets.

How can I describe the music as a whole? It’s heavy, guitar driven… but melodic and with feeling… I’ll avoid giving mundane superlatives, but suffice to say it’s something very special…. but then why not listen for yourself and make up your own mind …. lest King of the Slums retreat from the Mancunian rain into the shadows once more.

Charlie Keigher - Guitar/Words/Music.
Stuart Owen - Drums/Music.
Nic Bate - Bass/Music.

Track List:
01. Church Bells over England (05:57)
02. Punting in Oxbridge (03:59)
03. Red Canal Witness (03:25)
04. Bonfire of the Controllers (05:56)
05. Dark Web Groomer (04:06)
06. Crooked Flowers (Reportage) (07:26)
07. The Bleeding Obvious (03:38)
08. Toxic Skip Rat (04:53)
09. Data Thief Shot Dead (03:49)
10. Lost in Translation (05:31)
11. Tix (01:33)
12. Secrets, Rain, Chips & Dreams (SRCD) (06:17)
13. Fast Spinning Chandelier (03:50)