It’s been almost 9 years since Sleater-Kinney went on hiatus. The trio had spent over a decade as the ever-evolving face of the riot grrrl scene; remaining faithful to their punk roots while simultaneously dabbling in indie rock. Their fan base had grown exponentially, and their latest record, The Woods, garnered universal acclaim. It didn’t have to end, but it did in June 2006. Each band member found new outlets to pursue. Lead vocalist Corin Tucker started a solo project, guitarist and vocalist Carrie Brownstein co-created IFC’s hit comedy Portlandia with Fred Armisen, and drummer Janet Weiss spent time playing for The Shins, Quasi, and Brownstein’s own project Wild Flag. Each was successful, but the need for a new Sleater-Kinney record was still prevalent. In October 2014, the band announced the release of their eighth studio album, No Cities To Love, written and recorded in secret over the course of a year. Longtime fans, rejoice. This is the record you’ve been waiting for.
No Cities To Love opens with the blistering “Price Tag”, combining the politically and culturally- influenced lyricism of One Beat with the vitality of Dig Me Out. Tucker and Brownstein’s guitar work is fierce and their vocals soar as they lash out against consumerism. Right away, you’re drawn in. “Fangless” follows with more sharp guitar work and a dance funk feel. Janet Weiss’ drumming is eclectic and fits the song quite well. “Surface Envy” features some of Corin Tucker’s best vocals to date as she and Carrie Brownstein cry out “We win, We lose, Only together do we break the rules” over even more great guitar work.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/179540343″ /]The title track, “No Cities To Love”, musically almost feels like a sequel to “Jumpers” from The Woods. The dance funk feel returns with lyricism concerning displacement as Tucker and Brownstein sing “There are no cities, No cities to love… It’s not the cities, It’s the weather we love…”. “A New Wave” is a little more moderately-paced. The guitars start out clean but become layered and distorted throughout the bridge. Once again the lyrical content is unmatched with lines like “No one here is taking notice, No outline will ever hold us, It’s not a new wave, It’s just you and me”. “No Anthems” follows. The overall feel of the track is quite darker than some of the record but it has a sort of accessibility akin to that of their fifth record, All Hands On The Bad One.
“Gimme Love” feels a little more simple and upbeat than the rest of the record, but it’s still an overlooked gem on this record with its diverse structure and unique instrumentation, particularly Weiss’ drumming. Lead single “Bury Our Friends” is a great return to form. The opening guitar riffs are among my favorite on the album and the lyrics pertaining to immortality and age are superb, especially the chorus; “Exhume our idols, Bury our friends, We’re wild and weary, But we won’t give in…”.
“Hey Darling” has sort of a vintage feel to it at first that almost reminds me of their self-titled debut record or its follow-up, Call The Doctor. The chorus is what will most likely draw the listeners in. The record closes with “Fade”. It’s the closest to a typical Sleater-Kinney song we get (a noticeable number of songs in their back-catalog are in the key of C-sharp and contain similar chord progressions), and it might even be darker than “No Anthems”. The guitar distortion gives it a feel of a machine that is temporarily dying down. It almost feels Guns ‘N Roses-esque, but it’s undeniably Sleater-Kinney at their finest.
No Cities To Love marks the beginning of a new era for Sleater-Kinney. These women have not only perfected their craft with time, but have been able to redefine their sound with each record. While it’s a logical progression from The Woods, it almost feels like this record could only have been released here and now. Culturally relevant and never tiring, it’s an absolute front-runner for the year’s best rock record, and it’s quite possibly one of the best records in their impressive discography.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRNDB9VqI3Q[/youtube]
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