Anyone listen to Sleater-Kinney? Need some advice please! (1 Viewer)

Ryan_C · Apr 15, 2003

Does anyone listen to them here on the forum? I heard them for the first time Sunday night when they opened for Pearl Jam, and was blown away. Those three girls really rock. I didn't know any of the songs unfortunately, but the did do a cover of CCR's Fortunate Son that was really good. I would like to go get one of their albums, any suggestions as to which one to start with? Thanks in advance!

WillardK · Apr 15, 2003

Excellent band. I didn't like them much when I first heard them (the screaching vocal might have overpowered any other aspect), but they grew on me in a very good way. One Beat is their latest and imo their best release. It's the most advanced musically with no less energy than what they displayed on the earlier recordings. Check out Bikini Kill's Pussywhipped also.

Tom Meyer · Apr 15, 2003

All of their records are great. My favorite is Dig Me Out, probably followed by One Beat, All Hands on the Bad One, The Hot Rock and then the 1st two.

Ryan_C · Apr 15, 2003

Cool, thanks guys! I have to go buy circuit city today, so I will try to pick up the newest one.

Vince Maskeeper · Apr 15, 2003

Yeah, One Beat is good. I think ALL HANDS ON THE BAD ONE is slightly better. Just do yourself a favor and avoid THE HOT ROCK, I think it's the weakest of their albums since they got Janet as the drummer.

And if you're not adventurous, you might skip their first 2 all together (CALL THE DOCTOR and SLEATER KINNEY). Call the Doctor is considered a milestone in the Punk rock world, but I would think if you discovered them via a Pearl Jam concert- then the material before DIG ME OUT might be a wee bit too much for ya.

I would say, if I were you, pick up both ONE BEAT and ALL HANDS ON THE BAD ONE...

-V

Vince Maskeeper · Apr 15, 2003

PS: Anyone interested, my GF wrote a piece on S-K a few months back...

http://www.stater.kent.edu/stories%5...terkinney.html

Colin Jacobson · Apr 15, 2003

Call the Doctor is considered a milestone in the Punk rock world, but I would think if you discovered them via a Pearl Jam concert- then the material before DIG ME OUT might be a wee bit too much for ya.

What is that supposed to mean? Some sort of unilateral judgment about the capacities of PJ fans?

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Vince Maskeeper · Apr 15, 2003

Yawn. Certainly not an intended one. Was intended to be a helful hint as I would guess most folks buying larger rock records don't tend to go for angry punk records recorded in a basement. And more importantly, anyone really really into the style of music that Sleater-Kinney were known for on their first two records would likely already know about the band.

I don't think it's unfair to suggest that chances are good that someone who was unaware of S-K and discovered them via the PJ route would prefer their more recent "rock" albums, rather than the raw, fast and sometimes coarse garage-recorded earliest work. I would not hesitate to say that, at the very least, you should start at the end and work your way backwards.

I certainly might miss the mark in some cases-- but given the style of music of S-K earliest work appeals to such a small segment of the populous in the first place, it seems not too far out of the realm to suggest, especally after having a knowledge of some of his other tastes seem to be at the other end of the scale.

-V

Ryan_C · Apr 15, 2003

Picked up One Beat this afternoon, but haven't listened to it yet.

Vince, what would you say their early sound is like? Mudhoney-ish maybe (since I believe you said it was more punk-garage sounding)?

As I said, I am not sure what songs they did play, so it is possible they played some stuff off their first albums.

I do understand what you said about possibly not liking their early stuff if introduced to them via another band, if their new stuff sounds drastically different than their old.

It would be like someone who was into electronica type music being introduced to the later less-rock Radiohead and digging it, but not like liking Radiohead's old stuff.

Jay W · Apr 15, 2003

Really great band, I've been listening to them for a while and I think whilst One Beat doesn't have the raw energy of say Call The Doctor, I think it's a big step for them. Their experimentation paid off big-time imo, I just love the flow of that album. I would recommend all their albums, but if you must you can knock off S/T

.

WillardK · Apr 15, 2003

I don't think it's unfair to suggest that chances are good that someone who was unaware of S-K and discovered them via the PJ route would prefer their more recent "rock" albums, rather than the raw, fast and sometimes coarse garage-recorded earliest work.

Well... I was tempted to suggest the billing should have been reversed for that concert, so I almost made what could have been misinterpreted as an insult myself. But consider that I was a second generation punker (if you consider garage bands to be the first) who never cared much for most third generation bands but has records as fast and harsh as you might imagine. As much as I like the earlier S-K releases, I was thoroughly impressed with One Beat and agree with the previous poster that it was a tremendously successful push forward for the band. I've listened to it many times more than any of the others so far. I'd even say that in significant ways it's more, not less challenging.

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Vince Maskeeper · Apr 16, 2003

Well, even Mudhoney was pretty polished (especially on everything since Piece of Cake) in comparison... the first SK record is a bit more Bikini Kill/Huggybear. Just noisy, poorly recorded, coarse with some real screeching vocals. In many ways it's beautiful, but i could certainly see it being a bit outside the desires of some music fans.

But at this point I'm tempted to send you a copy, just to get your response.

Amazon does have samples:
Self Titled
Don't Think You Wanna
Day I Went Away
A Real Man
Her Again
How to Play Dead

Call the Doctor
Call the Doctor
Hubcap
Little Mouth
Anonymous
Stay Where You Are

(Don't click on the links, right click, copy the link (Copy Shortcut in IE) and paste them into a browser.)

-Vince

Colin Jacobson · Apr 16, 2003

Yawn. Certainly not an intended one. Was intended to be a helful hint as I would guess most folks buying larger rock records don't tend to go for angry punk records recorded in a basement.

"Helpful hints" are great, but I felt yours came across with a tone of music snobbery. And starting your response with "yawn" doesn't exactly do much to alleviate those thoughts...

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Paul Case · Apr 16, 2003

Oh, certainly at the risk of offending the fans of Darth Vedder- I too would say, if the world were a just place, a band like S-K could headline arenas with rockers like PJ as openers.

Thank God that will never happen. I saw these girls opening for Pearl Jam last night and it felt like the longest 45 minutes of my life. It all sounded like the same song over and over again involving a woman yowling/yodeling unintelligably over loud, punky music. I'm a fan of many, many punk/indie bands, but, in my opinion, these girls just suck. Ugh, it's almost enough to make me glad I won't be seeing Pearl Jam again on this tour.

They did do a pretty good job when PJ brough them out during the final encore to help with Fortunate Son, though. Still, their lead singer needs to get some control over that monstrous voice of hers. I'm sure she had hounds howling for miles around last night...

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Vince Maskeeper · Apr 16, 2003

Your post just struck me as stretching to find something to be mad about. I had no deire to offend you, or anyone with my post, and just found it to be "yet another trip around the block" in terms of someone looking to get offended by something.

Apologies all around-- just know that i found it to be a seriously minor issue.

-V

Ryan_C · Apr 16, 2003

Vince,

I will check those songs out later on tonight. I listened to One Beat today, and most of the songs I heard where from that album I think, so I am happy I bought it.

I also wasn't really offended by anything you said, just got the impression you didn't care for PJ or Vedder that much. Which is fine, to each his own. As you said, perception is a beautiful thing, and I agree wholeheartedly. But I would like to know why you feel this way:

Where as for someone like me, the bloated fake emotion of a singer like Vedder is like nails on a chalkboard.

I have seen many bands live, but not a single band or vocalist has ever pulled out the emotion from me that PJ/Ed has in the 7 shows of theirs I have attended. I am just curious as to why or what makes you feel this way.

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Colin Jacobson · Apr 16, 2003

Your post just struck me as stretching to find something to be mad about. I had no deire to offend you, or anyone with my post, and just found it to be "yet another trip around the block" in terms of someone looking to get offended by something.

Not attempting to be offended - just didn't care for the tone of condescension I thought I perceived. It's perfectly okay to feel that way about these issues, as we all definitely have plenty of music that we scorn. Heck, when I saw three Andrea Bocelli CDs in my girlfriend's collection, I told her she was lucky I didn't leave her house immediately!

I just thought that attitude was out of place in this thread. The HTF purports to take a more civilized tone, and what I saw as a veiled slam on PJ fans came across as a cheap shot. Obviously you can't stand PJ, but there's no reason to make that an issue here.

I appreciate your further sentiments, though...

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