South Side Cindy & The Slip-Tones

South Side Cindy & The Slip-Tones play countless originals with an uncategorical sound that blends blues, jazz, and soul. Some of their events centralize on the originals and some mix in an eclectic set of covers and unique version of everything from Edie Brickell to Aretha Franklin!

They started at 9:30 p.m. and by 9:45 had the dance floor packed. - River City Times

The only thing that could have made this album better would be releasing it as a DVD! With the album one gets the great, upbeat Blues-Rock with some R&B music of lead singer Cindy Youngren, but with a video one could see the fantastically classy stage show of Cindy & the Slip Tones. Minus the visuals, one is able to concentrate more on their creative lyrics, however.

Featuring 8 all original songs credited to the entire band, this is their second release since 2004.

It only takes a few seconds into the first song to discover the high energy and emotion contained in the entire CD. “Peace In This World” opens with E Johnson’s throbbing bass notes followed by Steve Youngren piercing the air with attention grabbing treble notes on his guitar. 24 seconds later, South Side Cindy’s buoyant and self confident voice comes in pleading for some global harmony. Before the end, Wendy Gossett adds her formidable vocals to the mix and Jim Donahue takes a lead on organ while Jeff Smucker keeps them all rock steady on drums.

The third track slows the pace with my favorite song on the album, the powerful, “Oh Road.”

Cleverly personifying a road as a seductive mistress, South Side Cindy pours out a plaintive question to the luring highway, asking what she has that takes the jilted lover’s man away leaving her standing alone. In the background, Wendy Gossett sends shivers as she sings “Oh road” at the end of each line.

More intelligent simile and metaphor are found in the title track as the protagonist demands why her man makes her feel like “Change From a Penny” when “I ain’t done anything wrong but love you.” The instruments perfectly set the mood here: this is not a whining “sweet little girl” anymore; this is a changed, confident woman insisting on an answer.

Unlike the title, this album is as gold as its cover! Highly Recommended

- James “Skyy Dobro” Walker

- James "Skyy Dobro" Walker - of Blues Revue

South Side Cindy & The Slip-Tones HAD the crowd eating out of their hands. Even in the impending rain, the people of Bloomington could not get enough of this show, and could not get close enough to the stage at the WGLT Summer Concert. - WGLT Internet Blues

Reviewed by Jessica Shearer

Southside Cindy & the Slip-Tones/Mighty Mighty

There are times when Southside Cindy reminds me of Melissa Etheridge, as on the opening cut, “Sail Right Through,” which gradually picks up tempo as Cindy unleashes a raspy growl. But I don’t think Etheridge has a voice as big as Cindy’s. Cindy’s singing is definitely rooted in the blues, packing every word with longing and angst. However, there’s a whole lotta soul in those lungs as well. If you take Etheridge’s two-fisted punch and combine it with the emotional depth and speaker-filling power of Aretha Franklin, you’ll get an idea of what Cindy sounds like.

But a strong vocal isn’t enough to make a record successful. Thankfully, Cindy and her Slip-Tones have given us a body of rock-solid blues numbers that never become old even upon seriously repeated spins. The wounded “Leftover Love” and the meaty “He’s Got My Love” are prime bar-band blues. Although Cindy’s scorching singing provides most of the highlights, the playing of her group is intoxicating and airtight.

- Twangtown, Wordpress.com

Written by Kyrby Raine

One of the most engaging records I’ve received recently was Mighty Mighty from Southside Cindy & the Slip-Tones, an invigorating blast of R&B, blues, and classic rock. There are times when you hear an album, and you can’t wait to see the artist perform live; if Southside Cindy & the Slip-Tones can generate as much heat and soul on a stage as they do in a studio, look out.

Kyrby Raine: Your band crosses over from blues to classic rock to soul and vintage R&B. It’s quite an intoxicating mixture; how did it come about?

Southside Cindy: I think when we were kids, we all got our feet wet playing blues-based rock covers, but when the six of us all found each other, we vowed we would only always play to our strengths. For example, whenever I would start to write, I could never find enough feeling until I would let it go to the blues. So that was the start of it, but there are only a few blues styles that really have a place for the kind of vocals we like to kick out. So we reached into our love for the the old R&B and found our place in this crossover. Each of The Slip-Tones has such a respect for so many styles that we can’t bring ourselves to only play one at a time so we had to find our way.

Raine: How long have you been producing music? Has it always been with the Slip-Tones?

Cindy: Other than one “pull” record in the late ’80s, it has always been with the Slip-Tones. I remember Jerry Eubanks (of the Marshall Tucker Band) told me about “pull” records back then. He said that everybody makes at least one record that you want to set down on the skeet thrower and then raise your gun and yell “pull!” Great band, and good songs, but production wise, whew! I just didn’t have a clue. Anyway, we’ve done three CDs in the last four years, but we only distribute two, Change from a Penny, and this one, Mighty Mighty. We reserve A Taste of Home Cookin’ to only be purchased at our shows.

Raine: Chicago is famous for its blues. How is the scene nowadays?

Cindy: Incredible, of course. More rootsy and all-original bands more in the city, and then there are tons of cover bars even out in the suburbs. Illinois is huge in the blues. There is even an original blues scene in Peoria and Bloomington, Illinois that is amazing. Robin Crowe and Dave Chastain are legendary; Nick Boetcher is up and coming. Kilborne Alley is all over the charts right now. But, yeah, you can go to these little clubs in central Illinois and see Rob Williams or Russell Miller or someone and just get blown away, but guess I better not start mentioning everybody.

- Overground Underground CD Reviews

Reviewed by Carson James

Southside Cindy & the Slip-Tones/Mighty Mighty

The false impression of the blues that people who aren’t familiar with the genre is that it is mainly old black men wailing with drunken woe. None of them would probably ever imagine the blues being sexy. Well, that is indeed what we have here with Southside Cindy & the Slip-Tones. Whether they intend to or not, this is a band that radiates sex. You can hear it in Cindy Youngren’s sultry vocal delivery; husky and brimming with palpable passion, an album’s worth of it can leave you in a sweat. If you don’t believe me, listen to “Milkman” and hear how Youngren’s sensual voice melts into the lusty guitar playing. Or how her powerhouse soulfulness in “He’s Got My Love” lights up the funky wah-wah riffs. Postively smoking.

However, it’s not all about the pleasures of the flesh. “I’ll See You Again” is a moving tale of death with poignant piano and some of Youngren’s most melancholy yet uplifting singing; it might leave some of you in tears. Youngren and her band have developed an intense, keenly felt chemistry that gives Mighty Mighty a fiery, breathtaking edge.

- Hell Hound on My Trail, Wordpress.com