Chaos wound up tight.
Sleater-Kinney is easily one of the best American rock bands ever. They’ve never released a bad album in their 25 years together. While the elements of the group haven’t changed for most of that run, from Corin Tucker’s hurricane vocals to Carrie Brownstein’s fuzzed-out guitar riffs to Janet Weiss’ earthquake drums, each album has its own evolution and sonic identity. Now, they’re back with St. Vincent as producer, bringing a punky New Wave discord.
“Hurry On Home” launches forward with snarling, danceable groove. Brownstein takes the lead for this track, gasping her way through her need for connection, even though she says she’s “Unfuckable / Unlovable / Unlistenable / Unwatchable.” As she sings, Weiss and Tucker keep the track grounded and pummeling, a taut assault on the senses.
“We’re always mixing the personal and the political but on this record, despite obviously thinking so much about politics, we were really thinking about the person — ourselves or versions of ourselves or iterations of depression or loneliness — in the middle of the chaos,” said Brownstein said about the new album.
“Hurry On Home” will appear on The Center Won’t Hold, out later this year via Mom+Pop Records.