Slutever’s new tape Almost Famous can be viewed through two different lenses. For those that have been keeping an eye on the band since their Philadelphia days, it’s the fulfillment of all the promise of their early EPs and demo collections. And for those just getting to know the ace duo of Rachel Gagliardi and Nicole Snyder, it’s a fitting introduction to a really fucking fantastic band. Slutever have been capable of brilliance in the past — personal standouts are “I Can Dream The Rest Away” and “1994” — but it’s never come in such a concentrated dose. Even tracks like “Miss America” and “Teen Mom,” both of which show up on earlier releases, have been given complete and satisfying makeovers. The former trudges along like a woozy doomsday warning, spitting out “You’re already drunk, it’s 10 o’clock in the fucking morning” and making it sound like both a putdown and a challenge. On the other hand, “Teen Mom” bops at a queasy clip: “Nobody loves anybody, we are all alone/ Nobody loves anybody, that’s why I’m staying home. From the stunted development blues of “Open Wide” to the snotty, stomping revenge anthem “Maggot,” Slutever are effortlessly cool and refreshingly unaffected. They manage to be both the high and the comedown, and they excel in whatever mode they choose. Listen below.

Almost Famous will be self-released on 2/17. Preorder it here.

[Photo by Faye Orlove.]