Despite each having quality projects that they've been working on during Sleater-Kinney's hiatus, the members all seem to have some pent up energy. The record is an absolute live wire, unleashing a torrent of electricity that fans will be barking for.
The album opens up with "Price Tag", which pulls off the near-impossible by being both angular in the guitar work and meaty on the bottom end. It's full throttle on "Fangless" and the slick energetic "A New Wave".
Sleater-Kinney attack "Bury Our Friends" with reckless abandon. They barely hold together as the song careens towards it's doom in a exhilarating thrill ride.
The vocals are no more tame than the arrangements. Corin Tucker screams her way through a myriad of tracks, none more intimidatingly than "Surface Envy". Her vocals are vintage, with a squealing guitar layered just underneath.
Some harmonies do get thrown into the mix, but they are far from saccharine. On the title track they help show a glimpse of pop sensibility, that Sleater-Kinney quickly shrug off. "Hey Darling" hits with an impact that puts the 'power' in Power Pop.
Everything gets capped off with a sprawling exploration of Prog Rock on "Fade".
Sleater-Kinney play the Sound Academy in Toronto on March 2nd.
Best tracks: "No Cities To Love", "Bury Our Friends"
Track listing for No Cities To Love:
- Price Tag
- Fangless
- Surface Envy
- No Cities To Love
- A New Wave
- No Anthems
- Gimme Love
- Bury Our Friends
- Hey Darling
- Fade
9.0/10
No comments:
Post a Comment