{"title":"Meritorio","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"casting","title":"Casting","description":"\u003cp\u003eSlack Times return with ‘\u003cem\u003eCasting\u003c\/em\u003e’, their second full-length for Meritorio Records and their most adventurous record yet. Rooted in the band’s jangly, melodic pop sound, the album expands into straighter indie rock territory with touches of Luna, Yuck, and Sonic Youth, while retaining their intimate and understated approach. Slack Times have built their sound around constant reinvention. Formed by longtime collaborators Chris McCauley, Abby Anderson, Stuart Norman, and newest member Jonathan Ruiz, the band creates intimate, unhurried and quietly addictive pop songs with deep roots in the K Records and Flying Nun traditions. Following their debut full-length 'Carried Away' (2022) and the leaner 'Gone Things' EP (2024), the band entered a new phase in 2025 when Ruiz joined on bass, allowing Norman to return to guitar and giving the group a renewed sense of space and balance. In early 2026, the new lineup travelled to Columbus, Mississippi, to record ‘\u003cem\u003eCasting\u003c\/em\u003e’ with friends and collaborators from Hartle Road. Tracking live to tape in only a few takes, the sessions focused on capturing the energy and spontaneity of the moment. The result is a concise but surprisingly expansive record. Jangly melodicism remains at its core, while straight-ahead indie rock, noisy guitars and softer pop instincts push Slack Times into new territory. ‘\u003cem\u003eCasting\u003c\/em\u003e’ finds a band confident enough in its identity to take risks without losing what makes them distinctive.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Meritorio","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":58851895083339,"sku":"R5211-6817","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/MER083.jpg?v=1792052851"},{"product_id":"singin-with-the-sprouts","title":"Singin’ With The Sprouts","description":"\u003cp\u003e‘\u003cem\u003eSingin' With The Sprouts\u003c\/em\u003e’ is a warm, backyard-style collection of garage pop and jangly indie rock, rooted in the Melbourne sound of the past decade while drawing from a much longer tradition of guitar pop. The album balances scruffy existentialism and big-hearted songwriting with tightly wound melodies and classic pop hooks. The Sprouts bring together Rob Remedios, Matthew Ford, Innez Tulloch and Tom Marinelli, four musicians deeply connected to Melbourne’s lo-fi and jangly underground. Between them, they have played with or alongside acts including Dippers, Chook Race, Ill Globo, Thigh Master, The Small Intestines and Permits. There’s a relaxed, almost spontaneous quality to the record, but beneath its unassuming surface are carefully crafted songs with a strong melodic instinct. The band moves effortlessly between chiming guitars, garage-rock roughness and softer, more reflective moments, giving the album a sense of warmth and personality without ever sounding overly polished. At its heart, ‘\u003cem\u003eSingin' With The Sprouts\u003c\/em\u003e’ is a record about finding beauty in everyday life — messy, funny, melancholic and occasionally absurd. It carries the timeless spirit of classic guitar pop while sounding firmly connected to the vibrant Melbourne scene that produced it. \u003cem\u003eSingin' With The Sprouts\u003c\/em\u003e’ follows the lineage of The Velvet Underground, Modern Lovers and The Go-Betweens while capturing the loose, heartfelt spirit of Melbourne’s current lo-fi scene.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Meritorio","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":58851898392907,"sku":"R6511-2749","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/MER084.jpg?v=1792052863"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/meritorio.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}