CD Review

Artist: SLAVE To The SQUAREwave

CD Title: Big Change

Released: September 25^th 2007

Publicity: Killbeat Music

Label: Sparks Music

Website: www.slavetothesquarewave.com 

3 ˝ Stars 

Reviewed By: Kindah Mardam Bey 

I miss David Bowie; he’s an original. I’m sure he’s still around, but he’s been elbowed out of the charts with the likes of the Timberlake’s and Timberlands of the androgynous music world. But sometimes an original is echoed in future generations and David Bowie can definitely be heard in the music of Slave To The SQUAREwave. The other aspect of originals, is that they are incredibly hard to replicate without the later version sounding like a cheap knock-off. Thank goodness Slave To The SQUAREwave has both a unique style of their own, as well as that Bowie-esque quality. So, short of bringing David Bowie and his flamboyant alter-ego Ziggy Stardust back into form (no, I don’t fancy seeing Bowie in purple spandex at the age of sixty), you might want to head towards the Toronto based bands second album Big Change for a new taste of that niche etched out by Bowie. 

Big change indeed as Slave To The SQUAREwave is garnering some much paid respect for being unique in an industry full of `the same. ` They seem to be a throwback to Bowie, but are etching out a reputation for their quirky stage performance and catchy songs.  

You see, Slave To The SQUAREwave perform with a suited lead singer accessorizing a box on his head (much like the image on the CD cover). A hilarious feature on their website (see above) is a moving box-head that follows the mouse….hours of mind-numbing fun involved in that game of box and mouse! Even the morally diverse radio shock-jock Howard Stern is willing to put his stamp of approval on Slave To The SQUAREwave. 

Besides the clever stage persona, and right out of the newly packaged cling-wrapped box, the songs have an appeal all on there own. `Sinners of Saint Avenue` is a forceful, upbeat pop-rock theme that is just a glimpse of a well-evolved and playful collection of tracks on Big Change. 

Easily put, if you are of the David Bowie, Pet Shop Boys era, you’ll salivate over Slave To The SQUAREwave.  

Sinners Of Saint Avenue

New York’s A Go-Go

Big Change

Pumpin` Up The P House

London Baby

Thank You Very Much

Johnny 3:16

My Spine Is A Bass Line

Hopeless Believers

Pet (pressure,pressure)

Gorilla Swingin`

Discotheque

The Last Day

Evolution NO.9

P House (Soundbluntz club mix)