Slant 6 got their start in the Washington D.C. scene, where small labels like Dischord, Simple Machines, and Teenbeat relied more on the distribution of vinyl singles than full-scale albums. Soda Pop Rip Off is the sort of album one might expect from such scenes, collecting previous singles and separate recordings; as a result, it's not the sort of album that works as a whole. The band's sound, however, is both innovative and exciting, combining new-wave punk, D.C. hardcore, and almost creepily frantic guitar work into an energizing rush of sound that resembles more well-known groups like
Sleater-Kinney and Bikini Kill. In all, Soda Pop Rip Off works almost like a retrospective of a period in the band's career, collecting major work (including great tracks like "Double Edged Knife" and "What Kind of Monster Are You?") -- those looking for a more album-oriented release should look to
Inzombia. ~ Nitsuh Abebe