’s Best of 1999
Everyone knew that Sleater-Kinney were capable of creating some intense (and infectious) blasts of punk and pop, but in 1999 they finally got the production treatment they deserved. The Hot Rock, a sometimes furious–but always catchy–disc of pop-punk, is one of the Northwest trio’s best. –Jason Verlinde
As on their previous records, the Pacific Northwest trio brings a trembling, breathtaking fury to songs about love’s life-and-death stru [Read More...]
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I’m glad that a lot of people who have written reviews of “The Hot Rock” are disappointed by it or don’t “get it”. Sleater-Kinney isn’t for everyone but to me there are few bands that are better than them. I don’t see S-K filling stadiums or being played at frat parties. They’re a small band with a small loyal following and that’s fine by me. I have never been a big fan of the so-called “Riot Grrl” movement that S-K emerged from. Bikini Kill, Huggy Bear, et. al. left a bad taste in my mouth. Too narrow-minded and one-dimensional in their approach to music. If you heard one song, you heard them all. This isn’t the case with Sleater-Kinney. Somehow they have created music that is both powerful and beautiful. Why people call S-K “punk” is beyond me. I associate punk with primitive, noisy, abrasive sounding music. Sleater-Kinney on the other hand is melodic with each song sounding unique and entrancing. Sure, Corin and Carrie tend to yell a lot of their lyrics instead of “sing” but it works with the music that goes along with it. Their forth album, “The Hot Rock”, is an almost perfect album. I listen to it constantly. It’s on par with “Dig Me Out”, Sleater-Kinney’s third and most critically praised album. The only setback for them is the title song, “Hot Rock”. But that song is better than the best output of a thousand other bands. That’s how good Sleater-Kinney is. For anyone curious as to what S-K is about, I suggest buying “Dig Me Out”. After that turns you on to the band, then come back here and marvel at the brillance that is “The Hot Rock”.