Slingbacks

Shireen Liane, already seasoned from stints in multiple groups across California and Arizona, followed an I-Ching reading that directed her to England, where she linked up with bassist Mandi Leckie and drummer Gavin Skinner. Their shared enthusiasm for punk and power pop acts including the Buzzcocks, Big Star and Cheap Trick quickly solidified the lineup. Originally performing under the name Ms.45, the trio emerged just as American outfits were embracing gritty 1970s rock textures while British scenes tilted toward brighter, 1960s-inflected Britpop. The Slingbacks fused these strands without apology, their songs carrying echoes of the jaded resilience that marked the Pretenders’ own transatlantic blend. Although equipped with sharp hooks, riffs and vocal harmonies, and guided in the studio by Mitch Easter, the occasional knob-twiddler for R.E.M., the band’s lone album drew muted notice from British reviewers—suggesting that borrowing from the past succeeds mainly when the chosen sources align with prevailing tastes.