May 28th, 2025 - Cut to the Lumberpunk

 

Hello and happy Wednesday rockers, rollers, and craft brew fans!  The Meista here with another great pairing for ya!  This evening I'm pairing the wonderful debut album "Cut" by The Slits with a crisp, flavorful, and easy drinking Lumberpunk Italian Pilsner from Lumberbeard Brewing!

Album Info:

• Artist: The Slits
• Title: "Cut"
• Recorded: 1979 at Ridge Farm Studio in Rusper, England
• Release date: September 7th, 1979 (1st studio album by The Slits)
• Record company: Island Records
• Production: Dennis Bovell
• Album cover art: Pennie Smith (photography)
• Personnel: Viv Albertine (guitars), Tessa Pollitt (bass guitar), and Ari Up (vocals)
• Additional musicians: Budgie (drums), Dennis Bovell (sound effects), Neneh Cherry (backing vocals), Max "Maxi" Edwards (drums on "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"), and Bruce Smith (voice on "Love Und Romance")
• Musical style: Punk rock, art rock, art pop, dub-reggae, and post-punk
• Sound: An innovative and adventurous fusion of punk, art rock and reggae, the sound on "Cut" is artistically compelling, yet wildly amusing and fun!  "Cut" was highly influential in the "riot grrrl" musical movement of the 1990s.
• Major themes: Art, theft, rebellion, feminism, society, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Instant Hit"
2. "So Tough"
3. "Spend, Spend, Spend"
4. "Shoplifting"
5. "FM"
6. "Newtown"
7. "Ping Pong Affair"
8. "Love Und Romance"
9. "Typical Girls"
10. "Adventures Closer To Home"
11. "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" (Gladys Knight & the Pips cover) (bonus track)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Lumberbeard Brewing (Spokane, Washington)
• Website: https://lumberbeardbrewing.com/
• Brew: Lumberpunk
• Style: Italian Pilsner
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Ingredients: Saphir and Hallertau Blanc hops
• Pour: The Lumberpunk pours a clear, bright yellow hue with a frothy, bright white, 1-finger head with good retention and sticky, layered lacing.
• Nose: The nose of the Lumberpunk is grainy, grassy, slightly hoppy, spicy, and floral.  There are aromas of freshly cut hay, crackery biscuit, summer grass, a hint of apple, light lemon zest, and maybe a splash of light honey.
• Taste: Like the nose, the taste is a crackery, biscuity, grassy, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of crackery malts, crisp apple, grassy and citrusy hops, light lemon, and a hint of honey.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Lumberpunk is very crisp and very smooth with a dry, clean finish.

Overall pairing: The crisp, crackery, and grassy flavors of Lumberpunk coupled with the innovative sound of The Slits is the perfect way to pay homage and immerse yourself in the wonderfully artistic punk punch that was the musical complexity and genius of this band on their debut album!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!