Alt-rock stalwarts Sleater-Kinney released their 11th album “Little Rope” three years after their last major album, and only their second since the departure of drummer Janet Weiss in 2019.
The band, currently composed of duo Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker, has consistently been one of the most vibrant punk outfits of the last couple of decades through their impeccable writing and dedication to rebelling against the status quo.
“Little Rope” is set against the backdrop of devastating grief, as Brownstein was notified of her mother and stepfather’s passing during the recording of the album. Brownstein’s heartbreak is laid bare over some of the most varied and visceral grooves from the band.
The opener “Hell” stays true to its name, an anguished inferno of the despair born from grief.
“I pull myself in pieces / Pull myself apart / It’s like looking in a mirror / With a stranger looking back,” Tucker shakily screams of the loss of identity in the face of mindless destruction.
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While their recent post-punk stylings take center stage in most of the tracklist, there is a healthy mix of classic and pop rock fueled by the duo’s relentless energy, giving the album an expansive sonic palette.
“Needlessly Wild” starts off akin to a somewhat muted party, devolving with a chorus frenzied by distortion. The song, much like others on the record, has a thematic juxtaposition between ominous lyrics and punchy riffs with chaotic choruses.
“Say It Like You Mean It” is an anthemic pop-rock song with Tucker at her performative best, a trembling delivery complementing her well-crafted words. The following song “Hunt You Down” flawlessly filters through a glamorous discotheque groove.
The duo beautifully transitions into a process of healing from the pain midway through the album. The song “Six Mistakes” is a big step, with repeated uses of lines, such as “Is it all in my head?”
The final two songs “Dress Yourself” and “Untidy Creatures” are melancholic conclusions to the band’s journey toward accepting and growing from grief. The hauntingly beautiful lyrics cut through the melting chords, creating a fitting end to the record.
Sleater-Kinney continues to excel in the alt-rock scene, with an exciting record that manages the contrasting tones of the vocals and instrumentals to perfection.
Driven by an exasperation that comes from the depths of grief, the duo presents listeners with a wonderful journey about reclaiming loss to change oneself for the better while retaining all of their punk attitudes.
