Slint's first album Tweez was recorded by legendary sound engineer Steve Albini in 1987 and released in obscurity on the Jennifer Hartman Records label in 1989. It was followed two years later by the critically acclaimed Spiderland, released on the legendary independent label Touch and Go Records.
Considered a seminal work, Spiderland is an album characterised by its dark, syncopated rhythms, sparse guitar lines, and strange spoken-word esque vocal style. The record's impact was such that, according to some, it helped to usher in a new wave of bands seeking a move away from the unfettered aggression of hardcore punk but not its underlying ethic. The cover of Spiderland is from a series of photos of the band taken by the Louisville singer-musician Will Oldham. Spiderland culminates in the baleful "Good Morning, Captain", perhaps their most recognised track (it would later feature on the soundtrack to the Larry Clark film Kids, though not in the film itself).
Touch & Go reissued Tweez in 1993. Finally, in 1994 a brief untitled EP was released posthumously. This two song record was actually recorded in 1989 and was originally intended to be released as a 12" single on Jennifer Hartman Records. Original copies of the Tweez LP included a flyer advertisement for the 12" as an insert. However, Slint signed to Touch & Go before it was sent to press and the master tapes were shelved.
Members of Slint have since appeared in a number of bands. Former guitarist David Pajo currently performs under the moniker Papa M and also plays bass for the NYC street metal band Early Man. Pajo was also a member of Tortoise, Palace, and the short-lived Billy Corgan-fronted rock band Zwan before their breakup in 2003. Guitarist Brian McMahan formed The For Carnation in 1994 and also played with Palace. Britt Walford played drums in Evergreen, and for The Breeders under the pseudonym Shannon Doughton on the album Pod and as Mike Hunt on the Safari EP. Ethan Buckler plays in King Kong (the original line up of Slint makes up King Kong on the 1989 7" "Movie Star").
Nearly fifteen years after disbanding, three members of Slint — Brian McMahan, David Pajo, and Britt Walford — reunited to curate the 2005 All Tomorrow's Parties (ATP) music festival in Camber Sands, England. Also in 2005, Slint played a number of shows in the U.S. and in Europe. Though they insisted the reunion was short-term, the band regrouped once again in 2007 to perform Spiderland in its entirety in Barcelona as part of the Primavera Sound Festival, in London as part of the ATP Don't Look Back series of shows, as well as at a handful of dates in Europe, the U.S. (at Chicago's Pitchfork Music Festival, the Showbox in Seattle, and the Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood), and Canada in 2007.
In a September 2012 interview conducted with Northern Irish music publication AU Magazine, David Pajo hinted at more activity from the band in the coming months: "We still communicate regularly and we've got some surprises for next year that fans will be excited about. I know I am."
The band reunited in December 2013 to play as one of the headliners of the final All Tomorrow's Parties holiday camp festival in Camber Sands, England.
In an August 2013 interview with Vish Khanna, former producer Steve Albini revealed that the band was working on remastering their second album Spiderland with producer Bob Weston. The deluxe Spiderland boxset was announced in January 2014.
In 2014, the band also performed at the Primavera Sound music festival in Spain and Portugal and Green Man Festival in Wales.
Carol
Slint Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Past where the silo stands
Past where they paint the houses
Past where they paint the houses
Take away something that you know
The reason that you're always there
Use it 'til you're through
You got to let go
Past where the river bends
Past where the silo stands
Past where they paint the houses
Past where they paint the houses
The lyrics to Slint's song "Carol" are evocative and mysterious, leaving much up to interpretation. One possible interpretation is that the singer is advising someone to move past where the river bends, where the silo stands, and where the houses are painted, as if the location is holding them back. The lyrics suggest that the person should take away something they know and use it until they're through, but that eventually they need to let go. This could be seen as a metaphor for growth and change, urging the listener to leave what's comfortable and move forward.
Another interpretation is that the song is about the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The lyrics "past where the river bends" and "past where the silo stands" suggest that the landscape may have changed over time, and the repetition of "past where they paint the houses" could imply that the same homes have been repainted multiple times. The chorus suggests that memories and experiences may be held onto, but eventually they must be let go.
Line by Line Meaning
Past where the river bends
Beyond the point where the river curves
Past where the silo stands
Further than the location where the storage tower is
Past where they paint the houses
On the other side of where the residences are being painted
Past where they paint the houses
Beyond the location where the residences are being painted
Take away something that you know
Remove a piece of information that you possess
The reason that you're always there
The explanation for why you are consistently present
Use it 'til you're through
Utilize it until you have completed your objective
But remember when the time comes
However, keep in mind that a future moment may arrive
You got to let go
You have to release it and move on
Past where the river bends
Beyond the point where the river curves
Past where the silo stands
Further than the location where the storage tower is
Past where they paint the houses
On the other side of where the residences are being painted
Past where they paint the houses
Beyond the location where the residences are being painted
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ETHAN BUCKLER, BRIAN MCMAHAN, DAVID PAJO, BRITT WALFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind