I'm definitly enjoying the new album.
Sleater-Kinney?
Another band I would have to kill but not as bad as Mates Of State, and believe me, that's not saying much at all. Yes, I have, unfortunately, seen them live and wished that I were dead while they were playing. I could not wait at all for them to get off the stage and out of my life. In fact, when they come on the radio, I have to turn it off.
Cheers, Relaxer.
Cheers, Relaxer.
Originally posted by Jaguär:Thanks babe, I hope you're well.
Another band I would have to kill but not as bad as Mates Of State, and believe me, that's not saying much at all. Yes, I have, unfortunately, seen them live and wished that I were dead while they were playing. I could not wait at all for them to get off the stage and out of my life. In fact, when they come on the radio, I have to turn it off.
Cheers, Relaxer.
A friend of mine has the new album and I don't much like it. However, I have to show admiration for Let's Call it Love. Hearing S-K commit a 6+ minute guitar solo to tape is certainly unexpected. Of course, what makes it especially nice is that we get a rest from her yelping gulpy wail. And there's no way you can call that guitar solo particularly skilled.
Originally posted by Bags:Yeah, I was there and was totally perplexed as well. Props to S-K for still rocking out even though no one in the audience seemed to give a crapola. I would be very interested to know how that pairing came about.
[QB]Congratulations for hanging on and seeing them again after that. I thought that show (for SK) was a complete debacle. Terrible venue and situation for them to play, with everyone (or, the third or less of the audience in the auditorium and not out drinking up before they went to their seats) sitting and not quite sure how to take them. And they did not 'go' with the twee B&S sound.
(in other news, that's probably the only time Ian MacKaye will ever attend a Belle & Sebastian concert!)
Did the Post review it. I didn't see a review anywhere.
Sleater-Kinney's 'The Woods': Dark and Deep
By Joe Heim
Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, May 29, 2005; Page N05
It seems not much of a stretch to interpret the title of Sleater-Kinney's new album, "The Woods," as a metaphor for the uncertain times in which we live. If getting out of the woods means finally reaching safety, then being lost deep in them can be worrisome, even cause for panic. There's little on this 10-song CD, the band's loudest, hardest, thrashingest effort yet, to suggest that Sleater-Kinney senses less-troubled days anytime soon.
Beginning with the sonic roar that kicks off the first song, "The Fox" – a fierce post-rock parable – "The Woods" is a blistering work of strategic venom, artful despair and unbridled, unflinching passion. It is angry and caustic, exciting and unnerving. It is sweeping in scope. It rocks like nothing you've heard in years.
Guitarists and vocalists Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein and drummer Janet Weiss are the three women, along with producer Dave Fridmann, responsible for this 45-minute maelstrom of sound and ideas. The band's first release on Sub Pop, after years on the independent label Kill Rock Stars, is nothing less than its strongest start-to-finish album. For a group with several unimpeachable, time-tested releases already, that is no slight accomplishment.
Weiss is a brazen and aggressive drummer, heroic even. And Brownstein still plays guitar like she is chain-sawing through power lines. But a full decade into their career, it remains Tucker's ululating, otherworldly warble that most distinguishes Sleater-Kinney songs. An instrument all its own, her freaky vibrato is distress signal, call to arms and ward against evil all at once.
On the scathing "Wilderness," about both a couple and a country, she howls, "We're split right in half / It's making me crazy / A two-headed brat / Tied to the other for life." And on the Zeppelinesque "Let's Call It Love," an 11-minute hurricane-force rocker, her voice is equal to threats like "Show me your darkest side / And you better be my bloody match." Brownstein, too, takes her shots. On "Entertain," a blast at those simply rehashing art and music styles, she snarls: "You come around sounding 1972 / You did nothing new with 1972 / Where is the [expletive] you? / Where is the black and blue?"
Only on the sardonic "Modern Girl" does Sleater-Kinney throttle back its all-out rock approach. Sung by Brownstein, the deceptively gentle and melodic pop song reveals its fangs in increasingly bitter lyrics about unfulfilling lives and the emptiness of a culture in which everything is for sale.
There is little evidence of optimism in the other songs either: "Jumpers" is a tale of suicide; "Rollercoaster" frets about relationship stability; "Steep Air" growls at the status quo. By the final song, "Night Light," the pressures seem almost overbearing, and perhaps that is why it allows an admission of uncertainty and includes pleas for direction and purpose. "How do you do it?" Tucker sings. "This bitter and bloody world / Keep it together and shine for your family. How do you do it?"
Once again, Sleater-Kinney asks all the right questions. All the questions the times demand. We're not out of the woods yet. Not even close.
By Joe Heim
Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, May 29, 2005; Page N05
It seems not much of a stretch to interpret the title of Sleater-Kinney's new album, "The Woods," as a metaphor for the uncertain times in which we live. If getting out of the woods means finally reaching safety, then being lost deep in them can be worrisome, even cause for panic. There's little on this 10-song CD, the band's loudest, hardest, thrashingest effort yet, to suggest that Sleater-Kinney senses less-troubled days anytime soon.
Beginning with the sonic roar that kicks off the first song, "The Fox" – a fierce post-rock parable – "The Woods" is a blistering work of strategic venom, artful despair and unbridled, unflinching passion. It is angry and caustic, exciting and unnerving. It is sweeping in scope. It rocks like nothing you've heard in years.
Guitarists and vocalists Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein and drummer Janet Weiss are the three women, along with producer Dave Fridmann, responsible for this 45-minute maelstrom of sound and ideas. The band's first release on Sub Pop, after years on the independent label Kill Rock Stars, is nothing less than its strongest start-to-finish album. For a group with several unimpeachable, time-tested releases already, that is no slight accomplishment.
Weiss is a brazen and aggressive drummer, heroic even. And Brownstein still plays guitar like she is chain-sawing through power lines. But a full decade into their career, it remains Tucker's ululating, otherworldly warble that most distinguishes Sleater-Kinney songs. An instrument all its own, her freaky vibrato is distress signal, call to arms and ward against evil all at once.
On the scathing "Wilderness," about both a couple and a country, she howls, "We're split right in half / It's making me crazy / A two-headed brat / Tied to the other for life." And on the Zeppelinesque "Let's Call It Love," an 11-minute hurricane-force rocker, her voice is equal to threats like "Show me your darkest side / And you better be my bloody match." Brownstein, too, takes her shots. On "Entertain," a blast at those simply rehashing art and music styles, she snarls: "You come around sounding 1972 / You did nothing new with 1972 / Where is the [expletive] you? / Where is the black and blue?"
Only on the sardonic "Modern Girl" does Sleater-Kinney throttle back its all-out rock approach. Sung by Brownstein, the deceptively gentle and melodic pop song reveals its fangs in increasingly bitter lyrics about unfulfilling lives and the emptiness of a culture in which everything is for sale.
There is little evidence of optimism in the other songs either: "Jumpers" is a tale of suicide; "Rollercoaster" frets about relationship stability; "Steep Air" growls at the status quo. By the final song, "Night Light," the pressures seem almost overbearing, and perhaps that is why it allows an admission of uncertainty and includes pleas for direction and purpose. "How do you do it?" Tucker sings. "This bitter and bloody world / Keep it together and shine for your family. How do you do it?"
Once again, Sleater-Kinney asks all the right questions. All the questions the times demand. We're not out of the woods yet. Not even close.
It really is a solid record. I'm seeing them at the Warfield in SF on Saturday and Mary Timony is opening up, I am SO excited. I think it will be a great show. I'll give you a report.
Holy crap…what an unbelievable show. Pretty much all the new record was played and towards the end SK sounded like a combination of peak-era Who and Sonic Youth. During "Let's Call It Love" they were all facing each other, rocking out, and Janet Weiss was just DESTROYING her skins. I have to say that I couldn't even stick around for the encore because I didn't want it to spoil what a high note the main set ended on. It was just stunning.
DON'T miss this tour folks. I sincerely hope that Janet can hold out because she has one hell of a job to do night after night. At least Keith Moon had pills, speed, coke, etc. to keep him sailing. Easily one of the best shows you'll probably see this year, and a bargain at 15 bucks.
DON'T miss this tour folks. I sincerely hope that Janet can hold out because she has one hell of a job to do night after night. At least Keith Moon had pills, speed, coke, etc. to keep him sailing. Easily one of the best shows you'll probably see this year, and a bargain at 15 bucks.
damn - makes me even more dissapointed I am going to miss the show in DC
Originally posted by bearman:
Holy crap…what an unbelievable show. Pretty much all the new record was played and towards the end SK sounded like a combination of peak-era Who and Sonic Youth. During "Let's Call It Love" they were all facing each other, rocking out, and Janet Weiss was just DESTROYING her skins. I have to say that I couldn't even stick around for the encore because I didn't want it to spoil what a high note the main set ended on. It was just stunning.
DON'T miss this tour folks. I sincerely hope that Janet can hold out because she has one hell of a job to do night after night. At least Keith Moon had pills, speed, coke, etc. to keep him sailing. Easily one of the best shows you'll probably see this year, and a bargain at 15 bucks.
Originally posted by bearman:In my opinion she is the reason this band SMOKES on tour. She is simply amazing. By far the best musician among them…
Janet Weiss was just DESTROYING her skins.
Without a doubt one of the most underrated drummers out there. She KILLS. I couldn't take my eyes off of her, and as the show went on she seemed to pick up more and more steam. I am seriously thinking about going up to Philly as well. The tension in the music that came out of those three was brilliant…and it definitely comes with the experience of playing together. I always thought of SK as a really good band, but now I consider them truly great.
I am so bummed to miss this show. I have meetings/conferences all that week, so I can't even hit Philly or New York.
woe is me………
woe is me………
I hope you all check out her drumming on the Quasi albums, I happen to think their music is better than S-K but I know I am in the minority.
Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:Ditto, I'm outta town. :(
I am so bummed to miss this show. I have meetings/conferences all that week, so I can't even hit Philly or New York.
woe is me………
GGW and Bags, you guys buy the CD version of the Woods with the live DVD? That's a little preview (but not quite as stellar as the show that I saw). They seemed much tighter.
Nope, haven't gotten it yet. I will…I've mentioned before that live they're one of my top five or ten bands. Overall, they fall lower on the list…
Originally posted by bearman:Got it but haven't watched the DVD portion yet.
GGW and Bags, you guys buy the CD version of the Woods with the live DVD? That's a little preview (but not quite as stellar as the show that I saw). They seemed much tighter.
I've seen S-K six times or so and it's always a fantastic show. In listening to the new album it struck me how well it would translate live. Your review just confirmed it.
Anyone else going to the show tomorrow night? I'll be there for sure.