Sleater-Kinney
No Cities To Love (Sub Pop)
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Sleater-Kinney fans will relish in No Cities To Love, the Olympia trio's first album since 2005's The Woods. It is filled with their trademark angular, dueling guitars, powerhouse yelp-vocals by Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein and the mighty Janet Weiss on drums.
One can't help but notice what excellent timing this is. With the steady rise of the female presence in both rock and punk music (finally, ahem), Sleater-Kinney are more relevant than ever. They are a band who, despite being together for more than 20 years, still sound fresh and exciting.
Sleater-Kinney have always been known for their sharp politically-charged lyrics, which remain at the forefront in No Cities To Love. A true contender for lyric-of-the-year can be found in "Fangless", which contains the venomous line, "You were born in a shout, but you will die in a silent skull." Ouch.
Opener "Price Tag" delves into the cliché topic of consumerism, yet manages not to sound overly self-righteous – one of Sleater-Kinney's many traits that make them so beloved.
With the three women of Sleater-Kinney well engrossed in other projects (Brownstein co-created and co-stars in Portlandia, for example), it is impressive they've still managed to put out a record that sounds as inspired as their earlier works.
Perhaps they say it best in “Surface Envy”, Cities' third track. “We win, we lose, only together do we make the rules.” They do it because they have to. It is who they are, and for this, they are loved.
This album probably won't make fans out of a new generation, but it will spark intrigue in many. Behold, the power of Sleater-Kinney, who make records for themselves and those who aren't afraid to love.
Rating: ★★★★
