Return of the Giant Slits

Return of the Giant Slits
Studio album by the Slits
Released	October 1981
Genre	Post-punk, world music, dub
Label	CBS
Producer	Dennis Bovell, Dick O'Dell, the Slits, Nick Launay
The Slits chronology
Bootleg Retrospective (1980) Return of the Giant Slits (1981) Trapped Animal (2009)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Pitchfork Media	7.4/10 [2]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	6/10 [3]

Return of the Giant Slits is the second studio album by English punk band the Slits, released in 1981 ^[4] by CBS Records on LP and cassette. ^[5] In comparison with its widely acclaimed predecessor, Cut , released in 1979, it showcases a rhythmic, more experimental sound, inspired by afro-pop. ^[1] The Slits would disband for the first time months after its release in early 1982.

The album was out of print for more than two decades until being reissued on CD by CBS Japan in 2004 and then by Blast First in 2007 with a bonus disc featuring alternate versions of songs from the album.

Track listing

• All songs written by the Slits. (Published by Virgin Music Ltd.)

Original album

1. "Earthbeat" (5:00)
2. "Or What It Is?" (4:24)
3. "Face Place" (4:23)
4. "Walk About" (4:43)
5. "Difficult Fun" (4:06)
6. "Animal Space/Spacier" (6:42)
7. "Improperly Dressed" (4:28)
8. "Life on Earth" (6:33)

CBS Japan issued the album on CD in 2004 with the Japanese version of "Earthbeat" as a bonus track.

2007 bonus disc

1. "Japanese Earthbeat (Daichi No Oto)" (5:01)
2. "German Earthbeat" (4:57)
3. "Dub Beat" (4:59)
4. "Face Place Dub" (4:24)
5. "Begin Again Rhythm" (5:45)
6. "Earthbeat" 12" Version (7:17)
7. "Earthbeat Extra" (3:51)
8. WORT FM USA Interview (12:00)

Personnel

The Slits

• Ari Up – vocals, keyboards, percussion
• Viv Albertine – guitar, backing vocals
• Tessa Pollitt – bass guitar
• Bruce Smith – drums, percussion

with:

• Dave Lewis – other instruments ("for helping play")
• Steve Beresford – other instruments ("plays a lot on this record")
• Neneh Cherry – backing vocals ^[6]

Technical

• Nick Launay – engineer
• Neville Brody – sleeve
• Anton Corbijn – photography

References

1. "Return of the Giant Slits – The Slits | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
2. Raposa, David. "Return of the Giant Slits: The Slits". Pitchfork. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
3. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 359, 360.
4. Martin, Dan (21 October 2010). "Ari Up of the Slits dies aged 48". The Guardian . Retrieved 25 December 2015.
5. The Rough Guide to Rock (2nd ed.). Rough Guides Ltd. 1999. p. 903.
6. "Neneh Cherry Talks Her Weird Punk-Pop-Jazz Trajectory, and the New 'Blank Project'". Spin. 24 February 2014.