Sleater-Kinney – ‘Little Rope’ album review: A mighty roar from the top of the alternative food-chain
THE SKINNY: In case there was any doubt that Sleater-Kinney has in no way lost that roaring, chaotic energy that made them 1990s punk sensations: hit play on Little Rope. But be warned, headphone users, this one is deafening. The amps are turned to 10, the vocals are screaming, and the climaxes are set to hit your eardrums like a brass-knuckled punch. Within seconds of the opening number, the band unleashed the energy they’d always held. Perhaps even more than ever before as this collection of songs seems to defy any level of ear care or volume safety to demand it’s listened to loud.
It feels like a tired way to consider a band to constantly revisit their early days, and it’s important to acknowledge that with 30 years of musical maturity under their belt, Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker are not the same women who first started Sleater-Kinney. But Little Rope revisits those early days in such a beautiful and empowering way. More than on any other release since their reunion, the band seems to tap into their riot grrrl roots and rip them back to the surface. Proving that no age and no amount of hiatuses can ever remove that spirit, it’s an album that proves rebellion is in the bones, and artistic rage or cathartic outpouring is a tool anyone can harness.
Musically, Little Rope isn’t exactly innovative, but I say that as a compliment. It doesn’t feel like an album that has been overthought or overworked, existing without the sense that the members spent time spiralling around concepts or sounds. As a record made in the wake of tragedy as a way to navigate intense grief, it would feel wrong even to consider its technicality or future thinking. Instead, it exists as a roar of rage, sadness, life and defiance.
The record feels like the result of two friends who have spent the majority of their lives playing music together, getting in a recording studio and messing around. Little Rope feels like the spontaneous result of musical prowess and ease. Even in its biggest and most anthemic moments, Sleater-Kinney remains the epitome of cool, making it all seem so easy and, therefore, maintaining all its raw energy. They step back into the light as one of American alternative’s forerunners. Regaining their rightful place at the top of the food chain.
For Fans Of: Rightful rage, high volume levels, and those that hate ear defenders at concerts.
A concluding comment from Tom’s mother: “Not one to be listened to with even the remotest hint of a migraine. But the rage is relatable.”
Little Rope track by track:
Release Date: 19 January | Producer: John Congleton | Label: Loma Vista
‘Hell’: The album begins with an audio punch in the face as it starts as it means to go on. A track that will blast your eardrums and leave them ringing, placing you immediately in the disorienting wake of tragedy, it sets the scene perfectly. [5/5]
‘Needlessly Wild’: Continuing down the same hi-octane raging path, the band stays on course. Full of fun vocal details and exciting guitar moments from Brownstein, this really is the moment where you hear Sleater-Kinney sink into enjoying themselves on the album. [4/5]
‘Say It Like You Mean It’: Anthemic feels like the only apt word here as ‘Say It Like You Mean It’ instantly earns a place on an eventual future greatest hits album. It deserves to be played out to a vast crowd as a song made for the stage. [4.5/5]
‘Hunt You Down’: If the previous tracks all felt like hits, ‘Hunt You Down’ has a bit of room to breathe as the first album cut. Giving the band space to try something different, quieten down slightly, and mess around with a different vocal style. It’s a more than worthy addition. Full of catchy lyrics and a perfectly done indie-rock feel, it’s faultless, really. [4.5/5]
‘Small Finds’: Burst in with a jarring and jagged guitar line, ‘Small Finds’ raises the stakes again. Sounding like all the early Yeah Yeah Yeahs tracks that would never have existed without Sleater-Kinney, the band regain their crown as the originators. [3.5/5]
‘Don’t Feel Right’: An impatient little piece on ageing and betterment, this track feels like a statement on where the band are right now. Dealing in the conflict between acceptance and defiance, self-pity and power, the lyrics shine here. [4/5]
‘Six Mistakes’: Another ear drum blaster in case you weren’t deafened enough. Delivering a good old-fashioned rock song, Sleater-Kinney explores their heavier sound to powerful effect. [3.5/5]
‘Crusader’: From pure rock to pure indie, ‘Crusader’ wades into almost math-rock water with its glitchy and weird verses. As it explodes into a poppier chorus, it’s so fun seeing the band test out all corners of the alternative landscape they rule over, proving themselves to be competent in every terrain. [3/5]
‘Dress Yourself’: As the band quietens down, this track stands out as something tender and utterly different. Reuniting with the ethos of the riot grrrl movement, ‘Dress Yourself’ feels like a modern manifesto to its followers: do whatever you want but also just do the best you can. [3.5/5]
‘Untidy Creatures’: Continuing the message of the previous track, ‘Untidy Creatures’ deals with the more politicised half of it as it defies any cages or boxes. A closing message of rebellion and resilience can be taken on two levels. The first is a small and personal message of personal power in the wake of grief. The second is a universal reminder to all their fans to continue smashing through walls and living as freely as they want. [4/5]
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