Lil' Slugger - Super Sweethearts: The Complete Lil' Slugger

Despite my rampant drunkeness at the time, I still recall my first Lil' Slugger show in Greeley, Colorado years ago.  It was at a wonderfully named bar called the Stagger inn.  I knew of Lil' Slugger prior to seeing them because my long time friend Zach was currently recording them in his studio.  I was good and goosed before we even got to the show (which probably enhanced the fun I had during their set) but I also knew that these guys were fucking good.  I was dancing like a fool for most of the time and the band seemed to enjoy it but they must have thought I was some drunk idiot that Zach dragged in.  In any case, my band at the time got to be real good buddies with Lil' SLugger and we played many-a-shows together on the Front Range.  I have said this before and still stand by it that Lil' Slugger is my favorite band from Colorado.  Or at least during the time I lived there.  The fuct-up, angular, drum heavy, riffing rock/pop filtered through a bizarre lens of kaleidoscopic noise made me happy every time I saw them perform.  I really feel like I got to watch them progress as a band, too.  The compositions and riffs got more complex as time went on.  The members were so unique as individual musicians (and people) and when they played together it was pure chemistry.

This a collection of songs from their self-recorded first album, "Sweethearts of the Overthrow" as well as some other great studio takes of songs that were featured on a split with my band at the time.  "Do The Rabid" is their anthem.  That song will forever hold a special place in my heart.  Below is a weird video of the song being performed live by Lil Slugger and members of The Good Old Fashioned Sinners (yours truly on sax).  I absolutely loved how this song culminated in Ben just chucking cymbals at an old metal cone of some sort while Joey wildly fucked with the standard formula for a "doo wop" song.  Lil' Slugger and The Good Old Fashioned Sinners were definitely cut from some similar cloth.  The "band-buddy" relationship we had was an excellent one.

Lil' Slugger went the way of most great bands and is no more, sadly.  You can check out Ben and Joey's new projects here and here, respectively.   There is, indeed, an unreleased Slugger album currently in the mixing process.  I have been lucky enough to hear a couple tracks off of it and I can say that as good as this compilation is, the new album will blow anything on here out of the water.  It showcases the band at the peak of their songwriting and their sound is well dialed in by that point.  The world holds its breath.  For now, here ya go sweethearts.