Now if you don't know already, I'm a Sleater Kinney fan. I know my trivia, I know my albums, and if I really wanted to, "I could replace any of the members because I know just as much as they do" (my friends words, not mine). I'm latched onto Sleater Kinney not only because their music sounds good, and not only because all of their members rule but because they have been making superb music from the beginning of their career and didn't stop with their last album. Yes, I loved "The Woods" and was upset to hear that it would be their last album due to a "hiatus". It upset me more when I found out that they played their last show the day before my birthday. No Lie. (If anything, they owe me a birthday cake and a comeback tour...) So when I found out that all 3 members were doing solo projects, I almost spilled my coffee on my laptop in joy (I didn't thank heavens).
More research told me that the 3 members were not going to be in the same solo groups. More research told me though that Carrie and Janet were to have their own thing, and Corrin was to do her own thing on Kill Rock Stars (their original label). By then, I realized that this will not be Sleater Kinney, and I shouldn't compare it to Sleater Kinney because it probably won't sound anything like them. So I will try my best not to compare the Sleater Kinney offshoots to each other and to not compare them to the original band.
Now, I never really took sides in the whole "Which Sleater Kinney guitarist is better" debate because they are just too gosh darn equal to each other. Plus, each Sleater Kinney guitarist has their own style of playing. For example, Carrie was more wild and fun to watch (still is) and Corin was more reserved and better at doing the whole emotional vocal thing (which isn't too bad either). It is going to take me a while to hear one guitar at a time so I'm pretty sure that this might sound new to you too.
Keep in mind that I'm reviewing this as I hear it (I haven't even put it in my CD player yet!), so if I think that a song sounds bad at "first listen" it might just because I haven't appreciated it yet. Now, if I say something is rancid,then it might just be that bad (Yes, I know what bad is).
Oh, if you want to see more of my Sleater Kinney Blogging, then click here.
1,000 Years
First thought "Will this be a folk album?". But that started to go away, when I took out my handy dandy lyrics booklet: "I want the woman/I want her back/want her whole" What is this "Wholeness" that she is referring to? (Whole as in Sleater Kinney Reunion?). It isn't a bad song, but it is a quiet song. I'm used to quiet songs, but not from Corin. I can see if she wanted a change, but I'm not too sure if I can get use to this "quiet" sound. That's fine with me though, I might just have to listen to this more.
Half A World Away
This one starts off with a Glockenspiel? I don't know what it is, but this song is giving off that vibe of "Folk". Then Corin comes in with " I'm half a world away from you/I'm half a world away/When we're apart/Africa and the Bush/ Take you Far/ The lens, the story the picture/ Is your Call". Something is throwing me for a loop here, this sounds like the Creatures! It just might be the drumming on this one, but it is safe for me to say that this album does have some pretty different drum beats to it and it is quite refreshing. At about 1:04 things start to get up beat and I can't complain with that. Alright, I can't help but say it, but the drums are just reminding me of Sleater Kinney!. I didn't want to say that, but this probably was used to get people like me to listen to this. Not a bad song.
It's Always Summer
Right off the bat, the guitars are giving off that "folk-y sound". You all heard it, that kind of country thing that lots of indie people use to set the mood of the song. Going back to the lyric sheet, I can't help but think "Where is it always summer? "Its always summer/Where you are/ Its always something" I'm trying not to go into "lyric decoder mode" but I just can't help it with this song. I know that this song is going to stay through my head all night long. 2:26 has a nice guitar solo thing. Then, what is that? a Violin? Interesting, I wasn't expecting that from this song.
Handed Love
I already like this even before I hear Corin start to sing. I know that this song is special. Then Corin starts to sing. If I picked this song on shuffle, then I wouldn't know that Corin was singing. On this one, she has a slight "raspy-ness" to her voice; kind of like one of those people who you hear at a coffee shop singing the whole day away, while you drink your coffee. Things speed up at around 1:00 and add some color to this song. "Got love if you want it/ You're alone again/Get some if you want it/its a dangerous game/Fall down cause you want it/You crave the taste/Get some if you want it/ The feeling comes again" This, dear blog readers, has to be one of the best lyrics that I have heard on a new album this year! The delivery and everything else in this song makes these lyrics shine. and right around 2:00 in, things just sound even better. I finally get to here the loud Sleater Kinney like guitars that I so badly wanted to hear. (They must have been listening to me ramble about it...) Ok Sleater Kinney fans, it isn't Carrie, but it will do right?
Doubt (Get the free download here!)
I guess "Handed Love" set up the atmosphere for this song. Loud guitars and drums right in. From the start to the end. "A good looking sinner/Walked down my street/ When I fell for him/ I fell complete/You know that familiar song called to me" Another question "What is that familiar song? I'd like to know. Then bam-o the screaming comes out (yeesss) "When I fall in/ There is no Doubt/And I belong/ For a little while/ It's the deepest drug/ It's the tallest joy/ I forget myself/For a while" Another good lyric candidate. Wait for it, here comes some more good stuff followed by a nice guitar solo (go check out that download now!). Then it just breaks off into science, then more of the "Good looking Sinner" again. I just want to dance to this song. Even that violin wants me to. More nice lyrics "Break up with the Boogie/ Break up with the Beat/ Did you let us down, or was it me?/ I think that this silence is going to kill me." (don't say this has to do with Sleater Kinney...Don't say it...)
Dragon
Starts off like another slow song, then I realize that it is another slow song. I guess it picks up a little at 1:30. This album is relying heavy off of that violin, and heavy drumbeats, and this song is a good example of it. I'm going to say this again "Who are what is this dragon? Does she have a dragon?" Well I know that dragons aren't real, but could this be a good metaphor? I like this song and everything, but I think that this might be a bumper song to the next song. Kind of that "mellow song to the next big song". But we shouldn't overlook this one.
Riley (Go check out the video!)
Starts off with guitars, then goes on to the normal volume that we are used to. Corin sings "Heard the phone ring/ It's been a while/Since I heard from you/Since we hung out/Say Hello dear, how you been/Then you drop the bomb baby/You fill me in" Nice lyric. Then I thought "Oh, whoever is talking hasn't heard from the person who they like for like 4 songs and once she finds out that he is "down and out" she gets sad and sentimental. Hurts to say it, but when this video came out like 2 weeks ago, I hated this song. Thank heavens that I like it now. Just because this song has a music video doesn't mean it should be the song everyone likes off the album. "Ran around as kids/ We had some fun/But time marches/ And we both moved on/ You got a real gig/ You settled down/ now it hurts to hear/ Your down and out." I don't really listen to songs like these,but despite that, I still think that this is a really good song! Yes, I'm kind of mad that I said that this song sucked a week or two ago.
Pulling Pieces
This one is starting off slow. Then some whispered lyrics: "There's a worn out box/on the top of the shelf/I know I missed so meting,/can't remember what/I keep drifting back and/Touching the spot/I can't rest untill I've found/what I've lost" Oh no, not another one of these songs. You know, one of those songs. "I'm only pulling pieces/From the pages of my former life/ Stiff and wrinkled paper/ Written in a diffrent time/Are you gonna cross the line?" I feel like this is the song that would be playing if I was reading an old journal or something like that. Things get loud at 1:28: "Tell me why did you close the door? I can't get in/To where I'm supposed to go/ I'm just shadow of what I used to be/....Tell me why did you go/And cut me to the bone" This guitar sounds like a "Quarter to Three" and I'm pretty sure that song made you cry too right?
Thrift Store Coats
Oh no, this is really quite sad just from the lyrics alone "It happened one lazy afternoon/ When the kids had played/ Too long at school/ Late made dinner/ and Snatched up news/ "Funds dried up and my job cut loose"". Then after some more whispered lyrics, the tempo changes around 1:10. I'm seeing that this album is pulling on emotions, and then right when you want to cry/change the song to something happy, it gets loud and upbeat! What? Whoever thought of that was a genus. If that plan wasn't in place, then I would have just traded this album for something else (I like it though!!). "Frozen hopes/ and Thrift Store Coats/ They dont' cost a thing/ When you're broke" Its funny, but then again I don't want to laugh because that would be morally wrong for me!
Big Goodbye
I'm thinking that this might be connected to the last song "Thrift Store Coats". Anyway, the lyrics start off with "Big low porch/ On an old white house"..."Reaching for it/Break up with the past.." That isn't too bad, but hey, it gets better. "Another day come and gone/I think it's time to move along"..."Your my big goodbye/I reach up high but I can't see beyond/Your my Big goodbye" Then it gets sad again (...) "Can't imagine/Life without you/But sometime soon I know I'll have to" "If we're bot here for a little while/Let's get together one more time" (why would they want to do that!??!). Ok, so this must be one of those songs "last ditch, I'm going to go for it, break up songs". As much as I hate them, this one is quite good. I think the way that the guitars and the bass mingle is why I like this song. It is like eating orange flavored chocolate; you get the best of both flavors. Then the guitar does just what I want it to do (solo!). "It's too big a question for my tiny mind/ where we end up when we finally move on/ I reach up high but I can't see beyond/I'll keep looking for my spirit in the sky". Alright people, I'm holding back tears on this one. If you can find it, go listen to it and you will see what I mean.
Miles Away
The last song on the album starts off with Piano and it is refreshing to hear it. I really dont' want this song to be like "Night Light" from The Woods. We all know how awesome that was, but at the same time, it was so sad! "New moon, peeking through/Now the sky is brand new/Feel it on my skin is it night or noon?/ It's been the blackest night/ For quite some time/ Since my love left with that heart of mine/But I kept on ticking/ And I don't know why" Well, it might not end up like "Night Light" after all. "I'll get my light from a star/ Who is miles away" I guess that is the only lyric that you need to have a great song.
Overall, "1,000 Years" has the sing-songy lyrics that will be stuck in my head for the next couple of weeks. Yeah, I get that it won't be Sleater Kinney or it probably can't replace them, but who cares, this album is one of the best ones that I've heard this year and that is all that matters. I like the fact that it is different for Sleater Kinney. It almost makes it that much better because we get to hear the sounds and the songwriting that we never saw in Sleater Kinney to begin with. I think that this might be the new staple in my wickedly awesome music library. Go buy this now, no joke. I don't care if it is snail mail, download, or CD form, just buy it. You will be happy that you did. (I can't wait to see what Wild Flag has to offer...)
I know that I packed a lot into here, but if you want to read more about the Corin Tucker Band, check out this article that I found. It's really neat!
Because this is the end of my review, I just want to make one personal appeal; If you are the band, or know this band, please come to Denver and play us a show! I know people who can set one up in no time, and even can provide food! Please! I'm not speaking for myself when I say this. =]
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