Sleater-Kinney's music is so intense that the trio has always belonged to something greater than themselves whether they really wanted to or not. Lyrically, they've never shied away from politics -- quite the contrary -- but their anthems have always been of a more personal nature, even as together the three women have made some of the most epic, fiercest rock and roll of the past quarter-century.
Calling it "punk" or "riot-grrrl" is thinking much too small considering what Sleater-Kinney has come to represent today, but that is where their roots lie; specifically, in the early-'90s Olympia, Washington, groups Excuse 17 and Heavens to Betsy. Sleater-Kinney formed in 1994 and recorded two albums on Portland-based Chainsaw Records (including breakthrough Call the Doctor) before jumping to riot-grrrl's flagship label, Kill Rock Stars, from 1997's Dig Me Out through 2002's One Beat. Each album received a warmer greeting from fans and critics than the previous one (as well as a steadily swelling audience); so did 2005 Sub Pop debut The Woods, after which Sleater-Kinney abruptly announced a hiatus.
Afterward, singer Corin Tucker started a family and eventually her own eponymous band; guitarist Carrie Brownstein became an indie-comedy star thanks to Portlandia, the hipster-skewering sketch show she started with SNL alum Fred Armisen; both drummer Janet Weiss and Brownstein joined indie-rock supergroup Wild Flag, who released a well-received eponymous album in 2011; and Weiss also kept right on playing the drums, both with slacker-rock deity Stephen Malkmus's post-Pavement group the Jicks and Quasi, the lo-fi duo Weiss and Sam Coomes started a few years before she joined Sleater-Kinney in time for Dig Me Out. [Note: this paragraph has been edited after publication to correct the lineup of Wild Flag.]
According to Weiss, it was never a matter of whether Sleater-Kinney would re-form but when, considering their crowded schedules. But in a low-key fashion, a couple of years ago they began writing and recording another album (their eighth overall), titled No Cities to Love, with producer John Goodmanson.
"It wasn't a difficult decision," says Weiss by phone from her home in Portland. "It's something I think we all wanted to do. We just wanted to make sure it was the right time."
Their timing was spot-on, as usual. No Cities to Love received a typically rapturous reception from the press upon its release in early January; its current Metacritic score is an even 90 out of 100. Here is a brief sampling of the reviews:
The Guardian: "All hail Sleater-Kinney: as riotous and vital as ever."
Consequence of Sound: "As injustice, inequality, and oppression have continued to rage over the last few years, No Cities to Love burns that new fuel in a startling conflagration."
Entertainment Weekly: "But the band's own power comes from a more confident place...Now that they're back, here's to them living forever."
Not surprisingly, Weiss says the reaction to their reunion has been equally enthusiastic, if not more, among Sleater-Kinney's rank-and-file fans she's encountered since going back on the road. She admits it's overwhelming, but "in a very good way."
"I mean, we always played off that energy and used that energy to make the live shows better," she says. "The more of that energy that flies at us, the more we return back in our performance, so I think it's all good. It feels amazing to feel that kind of love from the crowd, that what you're doing is important to them. That's really irreplaceable."
It takes real stamina to sustain Sleater-Kinney's kind of energy throughout a 90-minute set, Weiss notes.
"It's pretty exhausting," she says. "As far as playing a rock and roll show, it's pretty high-powered. And these shows especially are very emotional. People are so excited, and so the energy level is very high. From the minute we hit the stage, it's a heightened sort of experience for an hour and a half."
Sleater-Kinney pulls into what ought to be a packed Warehouse Live Ballroom on Saturday night. We had just a few more questions for Weiss before letting her get back to the business of being awesome.
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