To me, Sleater-Kinney’s main strength is their confidence. They show no affectations, no pandering — they simply dive into each solid new song. It’s also cool to see a rock band led by multiple women. Plus, at Merriweather, everyone was clearly paying attention — no Opening Band blues.
My issue is, try as I might, live and on the album, most tracks leave me underwhelmed. If I could hear all the lyrics or read them, I’m sure I’d appreciate the poetry. Most of them end up getting lost though, swallowed in a midtempo malaise. To my ear, most tracks meander and then just…end. The generic crowd comments and sleepy delivery don’t help matters.
Fortunately, there were a bunch of bright spots:
--- “Shadow Town” has a lot more energy than “High in the Grass.” Love the dark vibe.
--- “It’s been a long road for all of us to come, tentatively, to create this sense of community we love.”
--- “Can I Go On”: the varied inflections on the line “my desire is contagious” is hilarious.
--- “Path of Wellness”: its drive is the strongest of any song so far. The repetition of “you can never love me enough” adds to it.
--- “This is for anyone who’s needed a little more help this last year.”
--- “Jumpers”!! Now there’s a song!! It has anger, restraint, and an actual arc. It can’t be a coincidence that this is the first ‘wooo’ I hear from the crowd.
--- “Bring Mercy”: a comforting message and rhythm -- what 2021 needs.
--- “Modern Girl”!! Its smooth electric vibe makes it a winner from the first note. The unlikely “sunny day” chorus adds to it.
--- “We’ve never been here to Merriweather Post Pavilion before. This place is amazing. You guys look amazing.” Better than nothing, but it’s undermined by the listless way she says it.
--- “Worry With You” has this knowing funk that makes me bob my head the whole time. Well done.
--- “Entertain” had the volume of a last song, but sadly, it did not fit the title.
Grade: C / C+
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