Sleater-Kinney - The Center Won't Hold - August 16th

https://www.openpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sleater-Kinney-Announce-St.-Vincent-Produced-Album-The-Center-Won%E2%80%99t-Hold-Share.jpg

Tracks:

The Center Won't Hold
Hurry On Home
Reach Out
Can I Go On
Restless
Ruins
LOVE
Bad Dance
The Future Is Here
The Dog/ The Body
Broken

Lyric Vid for "The Future Is Here"

well St. Vincent definitely produced this!

need to let this sink in, just because it doesn't really feel like "Sleater-Kinney" to me

but at this point I guess why not do something different?

I love "Hurry on Home" -- I've woken up with the hook in my head -- and it sounds great on my phone next to new Madonna and new Roisin Murphy.

"Hurry On Home" is superb.

Fader profile: https://www.thefader.com/2019/06/14/sleater-kinney-the-center-wont-hold-profile-interview

Article doesn't formally introduce St. Vincent -- it just sez "They turned to synths and effects and Clark" -- so I kind of wonder if it's missing some text.

This:

“Sympathy” was about her son, Marshall, who was born prematurely and had to fight for his life. He just graduated high school.

Good god, I'm old.

Yeah, that was eye-opening to say the least.

"Hurry on Home" sounded like a St. Vincent song to me but I'm digging "The Future Is Here" and Corin singing lower.

"The Future is Here" doesn't sound like SK at all and it is awesome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xrSuIqrhRU

"Hurry On Home", from last night's Fallon.

The visual aspect of that performance doesn't seem to sit well with them, Carrie's vox seem a little flat too.

I'll never ever in my life be a Jimmy Fallon fan but I have to admit it's pretty fucking rad to see how jazzed he was about S-K.

then again maybe it's just that he and Carrie are comedy buds.

The visual aspect of that performance doesn't seem to sit well with them, Carrie's vox seem a little flat too.

― Shoegazi (Leee), Monday, 24 June 2019 19:17 (eight minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah, i kinda agree with this; always loved sk's earnestness and the archness of this performance doesn't really fit

They seem to be mimicking St. Vincent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xfPoLEJpgY

The first two minutes sound like a forced HERE'S OUR NEW DIRECTION and the last minute sounds like an equally forced WAIT COME BACK WE'RE STILL SLEATER-KINNEY

The first two minutes sound like a forced HERE'S OUR NEW DIRECTION and the last minute sounds like an equally forced WAIT COME BACK WE'RE STILL SLEATER-KINNEY

― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, July 17, 2019 9:50 AM (twenty-one minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

If you don't mind me inquiring? What exactly does "forced" sound like , I feel it's most likely you attributing your feelings to the new direction the band is taking. I for one see this as a good mixture of their new sound and old sound, but by no means forced , whatever that means

I feel it's most likely you attributing your feelings to the new direction the band is taking.

It means that I am taking their new direction as a personal affront.

That closing minute does feel awkwardly tacked on. Weirdly, this sounds even more like a Fridmann production than The Woods did?

It means that I am taking their new direction as a personal affront.

I was more interested in what "forced" sounded like, since I see it being applied in many instances. Intuitively speaking all music is in some way or shape could be considered "forced", but I don't think it necessarily makes it bad.

But seriously, I liked the two other new songs, but by "forced" I mean that they don't sound particularly engaged with what they're doing, and they're self-consciously playing at the surface elements of the new and old approaches (which do not, to me, come together in a "mixture," but are separate and distinct segments of the song).

this sure sounds like an opening track

their lyrics still kind of suck, why didn't they think about updating THAT approach

maybe "labored"is better? to me, truly great rock bands (which I consider SK) have a way of sounding like themselves, even if they have albums as different as Dig Me Out, The Hot Rock and The Woods

great bands also have a really distinctive way they play together musically as a unit, something I felt like SK did, and this new direction strips them of that without really adding anything interesting outside of a very staid idea of "interesting production" that doesn't feel very fresh or interesting to me

"Weirdly, this sounds even more like a Fridmann production than The Woods did"

that's one of the worst sounding albums I've ever heard. This at least sounds better than that.

that was rough. i hate how affected some of the singing is on these tracks.

what a horrible development for a band so well known for singing without affectation

maybe "labored"is better? to me, truly great rock bands (which I consider SK) have a way of sounding like themselves, even if they have albums as different as Dig Me Out, The Hot Rock and The Woods

great bands also have a really distinctive way they play together musically as a unit, something I felt like SK did, and this new direction strips them of that without really adding anything interesting outside of a very staid idea of "interesting production" that doesn't feel very fresh or interesting to me

― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, July 17, 2019 12:36 PM (forty-five minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

This is otm.

Carrie sez:

What am I supposed to say? She left. We asked her to stay. We tried. It’s hard and sad. Most people would ask me, “hey are you ok?” That’s the human response. She’s left us with a job to do, a job we also expected and wanted her to be a part of. Her playing on this record is amazing and she’s raved about this album to us and to Annie. But we have to keep looking to the future. Things change, even when those changes are hard and unexpected. Four amazing women worked on this record and we are going to honor that work. So, what’s up? The usual….Women picking up the pieces when someone quits, because we have to and want to. We’re going to keep going because we believe in ourselves and it’s a privilege to get to play music for people. It’s a new chapter. And all artistic entities have many chapters, if they’re lucky. Either the music will resonate or it won’t.

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/carrie-brownstein-on-janet-weiss-what-am-i-supposed-to-say-she-left-we-asked-her-to-stay-we-tried/

The back half of "Center Won't Hold" sounds almost metal!

i dig this new track and have come around to liking "hurry on home," at least

also this dry one liner shouldn't go unnoticed

I don't get wet because I am tall and thin and I am afraid of people (Eliza D.) at 12:18 17 Jul 19

what a horrible development for a band so well known for singing without affectation

i mean like....their singing is much, much more affected now that it was on dig me out or the hot rock or all hands. it's not really a welcome development for me.

Can't wait for their back to basics album in '21

Carrie sounds about as affected as ever in the first two minutes, she's always been a distant second to Corin in singing anyway IMO.

carrie used to just kind of talk-sing and now she's doing......something

https://media.giphy.com/media/1LiryotCCtd7y/giphy.gif

can we all finally admit Quasi >

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYvlcw8pLso

If only Sam whatshisface didn't sing, perhaps.

irl lol Grisso

If you're talking about Carrie's nasally singing, she started that at least as far back as One Beat ("Oxygen" comes to mind), and I probably the beginnings of it on "The Size of Our Love."

Finally listened to the single, it's fucking fantastic, I love that bizarre trad rock reprisal at the end. this shit sounds so cool, thank u st. vincent

woof

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/31/arts/music/sleater-kinney-st-vincent.html?fbclid=IwAR2EDvvyAEvUXImRok8abBR78Ii6HBnI2xNvVPCYiy7kNWTT6N5iseaav0k

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sic does that every time he catches someone sharing a link from facebook. I'm giving him some good-natured shit about it.

Eh, those albums still exist, and just because the band pulled a Pixies doesn't negate them. In fact, the new records (in both cases) make those formative albums albums sound more alive than ever.

i think in the end I really only love call the doctor and dig me out, and that's enough. impeccable albums, both nearly perfect. hard for anyone to live up to those.

No Cities To Love: Coming back without missing a beat, exactly the album you'd have expected from them in 2015, breakup or no breakup (the two Corin solo lps are a effective bridge).

Center Won't Hold: The songwriting is very experimental, demands the production to create a through line, er holding things together from start to finish. A definitive example of a veteran act challenging themselves and succeeding. "Hurry On Home" is All-Time, Top 5 S-K.

Path of Wellness: This album wouldn't have existed but for the pandemic. Because of those circumstances, Corin & Carrie went the Steely Dan route, bringing in various ringers as conditions would allow. Ultimately not the best way to make this band's music. Starts strong, ends well, but gets lost and confused in the middle.

"Hell": As it initially unfolded, I wanted more of the fast chorus, which was delivered as it went along. Cautiously optimistic about the album. Who's drumming?

Little Rope Tracklist:

01. Hell
02. Needlessly Wild
03. Say It Like You Mean It
04. Hunt You Down
05. Small Finds
06. Don’t Feel Right
07. Six Mistakes
08. Crusader
09. Dress Yourself
10. Untidy Creature

One of the Six Mistakes is placing that as track #7.

https://consequence.net/2023/10/sleater-kinney-little-rope-2024-tour-dates/

The follow-up to 2021’s Path of Wellness is billed as “one of the finest, most delicately layered records” in Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein’s prolific discography. But in its complex, ambitious instrumentation is an unimaginable tragedy: Last fall, Brownstein received a call from Italian embassy staff with the news that both her mother and stepfather had been killed in a car accident during a vacation.

Some of Little Rope had been written at that point, but as Brownstein and Tucker brought the material to the studio, all the music they put to tape became imbued with grief. With each vocal harmony and guitar riff, the album navigates loss — not just its initial pang, but how it transforms us and our subsequent relationships forever.

Wow, hadn't heard about that. How sad.

I feel like one of their secret weapons was corin/carrie trading vocals mid-song and/or singing two things at the same time. Wish they would get back to that more.

^^That's part of what sinks most of the covers on the DMO tribute. Imagine JEFF TWEEDY handling both parts of "One More Hour"! <JEFF TWEEDY>

xp otm x10000 that was my first love

New Song!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp2z1cL6qoU

Seeing them tonight. Liked the new song on first listen

OMG Gerri! <3

Song sounds kinda toned down for S-K

One More Hour <3 <3 <3

Really glad I went to that, I hadn't seen them in 23 years. They played a warm up gig at a venue I used to see punk bands like GBH and Conflict at when I lived in London. It sold out in minutes obviously. So much better than seeing them at the Roundhouse where they're playing on Friday which is like 5000 people Vs 250.

I wasn't into the post-reformation stuff that much but it made sense live mixed with the old stuff. They played that new song they released today last.

They covered Low covering them and dedicated it to Mimi which was touching for a few reasons

What's the current live band looking like, personnel-wise?

They had a 3rd guitarist, drummer and keyboard player with them

Thanks! Sounds like they're keeping the setup from the post-Janet tours.

"Say It Like You Mean It" on Kimmel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvPna_wBRYM

I've not been paying too much attention to the new stuff but the lack of Janet is super apparent here!

By the way before anyone says how sick they are of hearing that sentiment, let me reiterate that I've not been paying attention. I am merely aware that it's probably the sort of thing that's getting old to hear about. Too lazy to scroll up and check though sorry.

classic internet post

my best work

tbh I was very unhappy about what happened with Janet. I did wonder if something else was going there because I read an interview with Carrie recently when she said she just wanted Janet to be well. Is Janet... unwell? I don't know.

I really didn't like The Centre Won't Hold much, but they were great live recently and I liked the new songs live. So I think I'm back on the bus

Another New Corin Song!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hUUGdb2qoE

Going out on a limb and saying if you didn't like the prior two singles, you probably won't be into this one either.

"Small Finds" might be my favorite S-K track since "Hurry On Home".

cautiously ...... i like this album, I think.

album cover is reminiscent of böc

ok I listened to this album 2x today already and I do like it. maybe I should revisit the last one, which I never gave much attention.

this rules. tho I've really liked all the recent albums.

"cautiously" I like this album has been our MO since 2015

I have no idea how I missed Path of Wellness, I probably gave it a perfunctory listen on release but going back to it now it’s great. New one is solid so far too. Center is still their post-reunion best though I think

Wow. POW is the only innocuous, forgettable S-K album I own. I can't hum a single line.

hmm, it's very catchy

I really like this one, way more than expected.

this is way better than any other of the new ones

I don't think it's better than No Cities to Love, but better than the last two by a comfortable margin.

oh yeah but that's a janet record, sort of consider them two different bands was talking about post janet

center was also a janet record, which is easy to forget. it just isn't very good.

she played on it but had no creative input iirc

that's the one that made he quit on the whole st vincent deal

Lindsay Zoladz , NY Times critic in part on new album:

. The new LP has more oomph and darkness than the band’s self-produced 2021 LP “Path of Wellness” and more emotional resonance than its mechanical 2019 effort “The Center Won’t Hold.” But even in its wildest moments, when compared to the band’s mightiest work, “Little Rope” sounds unfortunately diminished and curiously restrained.

The Center Won’t Hold was the album I wanted after No Cities to Love: a break from their sound. I still listen to it.

i can't stand it tbh

I hear ya.

okay on to the positive - "Say It Like You Mean It" - wow what a chorus (yr contractually obligated to refer to a chorus like this as "soaring"), incredible hook and melody

I'm intrigued by this one. It's kind of a bummer how their reputation basically collapsed after JW left (I think that break was possibly even more acrimonious than she let on in her occasional interviews on the subject), but they were too great to be dismissed based on that alone and i'm always ready to give them a chance.

this one doesn't have that feeling where you're trying to talk yourself into it or "oh isn't this an interesting direction" i just like it like it

yeah the album feels more natural, they don't appear to be trying to compensate for anything or really 'trying something new', it's just got a bunch of good songs.

saw them last night in SF at the Warfield (they are playing again tonight,but it was moved to the Regency because I think these two shows undersold). I didn't have high expectations even though I do like this album, mainly because the show I saw after Center was so underwhelming. But they were really good. It's obviously not 1999 anymore and I'm no longer 28 and neither are they, but this was as good as I could have hoped for.

the crowd was fucking annoying as shit though, I seem to have stood right in the area of a bunch of entitled babies. LIke when I came in, some guy actually grabbed my arm and moved me out of the way because I guess I blocked his view. I almost punched him. Later, near the end of the show, when I cautiously took out my camera to take a quick video, some lady grabbed me and said "I can't see a fucking thing if your phone is there" Ok yeah, that's been happening to me all night. She also grabbed my son when he walked by her and said "oh no girl, uh uh" because he briefly blocked her line of sight for four seconds. wtf is wrong with everyone.

yeah ppl dont know to be at shows anymore

when i was at margo price at the fillmore this woman was fully complaining that people were moving into her spot and i’m like it’s not yours, the crowd moves, so you do too, just fucking adjust and grow the fuck up