Slick Shoes
Palmdale, California12 reviews across 4 releases
Slick Shoes is a Southern California Christian punk band formed in 1994 in the Antelope Valley after the breakup of Today's Special. The early group built songs from fast drumming, intricate guitar melodies and unusually busy arrangements rather than relying on power-chord repetition. The 1997 debut, Slick Shoes, presents that approach in rough form: the playing carries the record while the vocals remain comparatively awkward. Ryan Kepke's voice became steadier over the next few years, and Wake Up Screaming recast the band as polished melodic pop punk, adding catchy harmonies and cleaner production while retaining the speed. The shift was gradual rather than complete. Guitar solos became less prominent after original guitarists left, then returned on Far From Nowhere, whose short songs use frequent lead-guitar figures without abandoning the band's brisk attack.
After touring behind Far From Nowhere in 2003 and early 2004, Slick Shoes became inactive; in 2006 the members announced an indefinite hiatus while working on Sigmund. The band returned to shows in late 2007 with Ryan Kepke alongside Jackson Mould; Joe Nixon and Jeremiah Brown were also back, and Jordan Mould joined on guitar. The reunion was limited and ended the following year. A second comeback followed in 2012. By 2015 the original core was active again, with Jonah Peterson also involved from the later period. In 2019 Slick Shoes issued Broadcasting Live and returned to Tooth & Nail; Rotation & Frequency followed in 2020, their first studio album since Far From Nowhere. The band continues as a selective live and recording project.
4 releases reviewed
Far From Nowhere
Burnout