Sleater-Kinney - One Beat

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Free Music Notes for One Beat

Free Music Review: Another brilliant LP from the Best Band in Rock
Hit: 5 Stars

I became a fan of Sleater-Kinney in December of 1998, a little bit before the release of their 4th album, The Hot Rock. I don't even remember how I came to discover them, but I am glad I did. The Hot Rock was a radical departure from their previous efforts, which were heavily influenced by the Riot Grrl movement of the early to mid 1990s. A major complaint I heard from (mainly boys) regarding many Riot Grrl bands was that they would be great if they knew how to play their instruments. Well, Sleater Kinney certainly know their instruments. Most of my friends did not even realize that S-k play without a bass. If one listens to all their albums, the evolution of their sound is evident.

The Hot Rock was a variation, and then they returned to harder roots with All Hands on the Bad One. AHOTBO is, by all accounts, not the favored album of most fans. It's self-referential, with many songs about feminism and rock music, rather than more personal issues. Despite these complaints, I think AHOTBO is also a wonderous acheievement, if not for the great songs it contains, then for the fact that it was a nessesary stepping stone to the greatness of One Beat.

One Beat is the first S-K album without some sort of photo on the cover (I'd say photo of the members, but I still have no idea what AHOTBO is supposed to show) and the title itself is evocative of how important this record is. One Beat - musical beat, yes. But also heart beat, which is important considering the content of songs like "Far Away" and "Combat Rock." This album is close to the heart. The two previously mentioned songs are directly about the tragedy of September 11th, with "Combat Rock" a striking blow to the 'dissent is treason' pundits.

One Beat is evolutionary because Sleater-Kinney have learned the lesson of All Hands on the Bad One. The album is deeply personal, with the infrequent missteps of previous albums smoothed over and polished. September 11th affected this album in a significant manner. The heart of the album is the songs that are a call to action, to awareness. Gone is the frivolity of some previous efforts. "One Beat" urges us to "shake you and your fossils out" and claims that "if i'm to run the future, you've got to let the old world go." It's an album looking toward this future, now that the world has changed. Sometimes, Corin's voice sounds like she took a trip to 60s soul, and it's hard to recognize the screamer of Heavens to Betsy.

There are absolute gems here, like "Step Aside," where Corin Tucker's voice is the strongest and most inspiring i've heard yet in a song that has almost a gospel quality, and "Light Rail Coyote," a tribute to Portland, Oregon, with a great chorus. Close to my heart, "The Remainder" for me is a sort of continuation to "Leave you Behind," one of my favorite songs from AHOTBO. The Remainder is an amazing ode to being a third wheel. "Prisstina" is an absolute blast and I find myself singing it all the time. As an added bonus, Stephen Trask, the genius from Hedwig and the Angry Inch adds synthesizer and backup vocals to the tale of Prisstina. "Sympathy," "O2, "Funeral Song," "One Beat," and "Hollywood Ending" are also wonderful songs. I guess that leaves "Oh!" which was the first song made available on the KRS website for all the Sleater Kinney fans starving for a song. However, for all it's catchiness, it is the only song that fails to really capture me.

So, I say - great album girls. You've had me since The Hot Rock, and you'll always be my favorite band. Oh, and Marshall is so cute!

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