Sleater-Kinney has announced their eleventh studio album, ‘Little Rope’, which will be released January 19, 2024, via Loma Vista Recordings with a hauntingly intimate music video for lead single ‘Hell’, directed by Ashley Connor and starring Miranda July.
The new single alternates between subdued verses with sudden and explosive shifts into the chorus, which is characterised by wailing, distorted guitars and a massive ramping up of volume. The emotion is palpable and intense.
Stream ‘Hell’ HERE.
‘Little Rope’ was recorded at Flora Recording and Playback in Portland, Oregon with Grammy-winning producer John Congleton.
In the autumn of 2022, Carrie Brownstein received a call from Corin Tucker, who herself had just received a call from the American embassy in Italy. Years earlier, Brownstein listed Tucker as her emergency contact on a passport form, and while she had since changed her phone number, Tucker had not. The embassy staff were desperately trying to reach Brownstein. When they finally did, they told her what happened: While vacationing in Italy, Brownstein’s mother and stepfather had been in a car accident. Both were killed.
Although some of the album had already been written, aspects of each song—a guitar solo, the singing style, the sonic approach—were pulled into a changed emotional landscape. The tragedy formed the backbone for the album, which explores how we navigate grief, who we navigate it with, and the ways it transforms us.
Sleater-Kinney emerged from the Pacific Northwest’s riot grrrl movement in the mid-1990s. Comprising members Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein, and Janet Weiss (though Weiss left the band in 2019), Sleater-Kinney is known for their raw, dynamic sound and impassioned lyrics that often tackle feminist and socio-political themes. Their unique interplay of dual vocals and guitars, alongside Weiss’s powerful drumming, set them apart in the indie rock landscape. Over the years, the band has released a series of critically acclaimed albums, with ‘Dig Me Out’ (1997) being one of the most notable. Beyond their musical contributions, members have also ventured into other forms of media; for instance, Brownstein co-created and starred in the sketch comedy show ‘Portlandia.’ Sleater-Kinney’s influential presence in rock music has cemented them as one of the most important bands of their generation.
Pre-save ‘Little Rope’ HERE.
Album Art Credit: Sophia Nahli Allison
Photo Credit: Chris Hornbecker
1 comment