Ok, so this is a review for LAST Tuesday, but whatever. Last week was probably the best new music Tues. in a long time. My hands-down personal favorite was the new album "The Woods" by Sleater-Kinney.
When I bought the new ltd.ed. (with live DVD) version of "The Woods", the guy behind the counter asked me what they sounded like. And, I couldn't give him a straight answer. They sound like themselves, actually...
He noted that they were on Sub-Pop (the label that spawned Nirvana), so, he wanted to try them out. Yes, SP has one of the best rosters going (The Shins, Low, Iron and Wine), but, I figured that line of thinking was dead. In my mind, people listened to the radio or turned to the internet for their music, but nobody still has loyalty to a record label. In a day and age when Pearl Jam is on the same label with J-Lo, I was truly taken aback. I couldn't have run across the only person that thinks this way, so, record companies have nothing to fear from the future as long as they make with the good stuff, and Sub-Pop has gotten really lucky with this acquisition.
This guy worked at a record store and had never heard of S-K. Somehow that's just wrong. I'm at the age where I can't tell how old people are anymore; he could have been anywhere from 17 to 27, but no matter how old he was, he's been under a rock all that time. I told him that this was their first for Sub Pop, but their 7th overall.
But, "What do they sound like?" I never did answer him; I just didn't have the words to... I guess you could say, they write fuzzed-out, incredibly catchy songs. Catchy, but loaded with political and social commentary and capped off with one huge piercing wail from, Corin Tucker - lead singer. I read somewhere once, that her singing style was devised to draw the attention of talking crowds in bars. It is commanding to say the least; she cannot will not be ignored. Her vibrato has softened over time, but the music? Well, not even a little bit. With two guitars and a drum kit, they sound like an army. This is how rock and roll was meant to be. They're the only band I can think of, that has gotten consistently better with every release. I read a great review that says, basically, fans of the band will only have one thing to say when they hear the new album - "Holy Shit". And, I can honestly say, that's exactly what I whispered to myself when the 1000 tons sludge from the opening track "The Fox" came lurching out of my speakers.
So, if you've been under a rock with that guy, check them out for yourself.
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