A Slick Session

For a small university town, St Andrews has always punched above its weight when it comes to music. Over the years, groups like Downstem and Marine Anthropology have set new standards for what a university band should be. The Slick, headed by the enigmatic Xander Mohan, is the next iteration of this proud musical tradition, boasting a line-up of talented musicians and creative songs that truly resonate with the students of St Andrews. Playing at events such as DRA Ball, they are a seasoned group with a wealth of original songs, many of which can be found on Spotify. 

The goal was ambitious, advertised as “One Night, One Album, in One Take”, but ‘The Slick Sessions’ started out slow. Taking the stage at the Laidlaw Music Centre’s McPherson Recital Room before a healthy crowd, Matthew Torkington coolly set to work on his keyboard, bringing his fellow band members in one by one with a jazzy tune.

The first half, nicknamed ‘Times of Promiscuity’, was an assault on the senses, relying heavily on the driving rhythms of guest guitarist Max Cooper and a strong bassline from Pearce Hopkins. However, the star of the show was undoubtedly Oscar Cooper on drums. Donning a pair of dark sunglasses in a room that was already on the gloomy side, Oscar maintained his energetic performance over both physically demanding sets, displaying the ease of an experienced musician. 

Although the band was the main focus of the night, special mention should go to the recording staff behind the scenes. The room had been lined with a complex web of microphones and speakers that marked an impressive technical feat, especially given the length of the performance. Miraculously, there were no major hiccups. Periodically, a camera crew came out of the wings zooming in on the faces of the band members who kept their usual cool.   

After an intense set, the band filed out, leaving Xander to take centre stage. Bringing out his guitar over his knee he played a slower solo to showcase his considerable musical talents. As the intermission progressed the audience began to visibly lean in closer, enthralled by Xander’s lyricism and chocolaty vocals. 

“Those aren’t tears, it’s sweat,” he said, snapping the audience out of their trance. 

The second set, ‘About London’ changed things up a bit. Where ‘Times of Promiscuity’ had tackled the raunchy student lifestyle including long nights in Aikmans and “pricks in pubs”, the second set took things in a fundamentally different direction. Particular highlights included “The London Waltz,” “Melancholy in D,” and “London Girls” which captured Xander’s love for his favourite city. Though at times enthusiastic drumming made them hard to hear, the lyrics were often creative and even poetic. 

As The Slick closed the night with their song “On The Line,” Xander encouraged the audience to sing along. Even after a long and intense performance, many did. 

Photo: Beau Thomas