Sleater-Kinney – No Cities To Love
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It seems like this is the age of bands that were prominent in the late 90’s reuniting after hiatuses and so when Sleater-Kinney announced that they were going to be coming back together for another album, I was far from surprised, but by no means any less excited. You know who they are, and if you don’t, get with it: No Cities To Love is a loud and bold statement of indie rock that further proves what the band’s past seven studio albums already were working at.
This album, when it is listened to collectively, feels like a collection of singles—not because they are vastly different in style and sound, but because each track is catchy and self contained in classic Sleater-Kinney style: there are no quiet numbers that you would find buried in the depths of their other albums, but 10 tracks of punch-you-in-the-face grunge inspired rock and roll. Each track is a rambunctious thrill ride and the band takes you by the scruff of your neck and pulls you along with them. “Price Tag” starts things off with the infectious and dominating guitar riffs that fill most of the tracks on the album and make them seem so singular. The percussion is intricate and multilevel as the lyrics fall on top of each other, a cascade of quick quips that enumerate economic problems, as the title would suggest. It’s a strong open of bombastic rock that takes off from where the last left us.
The band doles out flaming track after flaming track, leaving you no space to catch your breath from this sprint of an album, but if you’re willing to keep pace with these ladies the rewards can be quite wonderful. My favorite tracks from the record include “Fangless,” “Surface Envy,” and “Hey Darling,” all of which have the classic components that this band are overwhelming good at, but in each, a different element really shines through. Take “Fangless” as a testament to the duality of vocals between Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker: they trade off, spitting catchy lyrics at us with their punk-y yelps. “Surface Envy” has that infectious electric guitar riff that cuts through it like hot knife and makes you shake your head and tap your toes. “Hey Darling” shows the band at their glossiest, the usual messy tension the band brings cut down with neater vocals that accompany and partner with the guitars.
It’s rock of the past that’s been updated to suit our 2015 sensibilities and its timing could be no more perfect. But, with all the hype surrounding this release, it’s hard to predict the longevity of the tracks on No Cities To Love. Will these single-ish numbers stand up to repeated listening, or will the tracks fall as fast as they’ve risen in this resurge? Time will tell.
