Review of Sleater-Kinney's "Little Rope": A showcase of struggle, resilience, and living in the moment.

No work of art can exist independently. However, if we were to temporarily envision that the 11th album from Sleater-Kinney – the timeless pair of vocal guitarists Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker – was released without any background information, its 10 tracks may have different impacts and interpretations.

The pointed and intricate style of its post-punk sound may receive enthusiastic admiration, as well as the energy of its melodies. Little Rope gives the impression of being one of Sleater-Kinney’s most precise and concentrated efforts, with each clean guitar riff and emotive vocal given the spotlight in a textured manner, standing out boldly with room to breathe, much like the raised lettering on an old-fashioned debit card. Credit is also due to producer John Congleton, who has collaborated with artists like St Vincent, who produced Sleater-Kinney’s previous album except for one, The Center Won’t Hold (2019).

The Little Rope moves quickly, as if it has no time to spare. The exaggerated features and confident attitude in their catchy song, “Needlessly Wild,” joyfully depict a person, likely female, breaking free from constraints and acting impulsively as an act of liberation. Despite a break from 2006 to 2014, Sleater-Kinney remains one of the most long-lasting bands to emerge from the riot grrrl movement in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. They have always promoted unconventional and self-directed forms of self-expression.

“Rise and adorn yourself, dear girl, in attire that brings joy, despite the world’s struggles,” croons Tucker in the song Dress Yourself, offering motivation to those trudging through their mundane lives in our constant state of crisis. Meanwhile, the track Six Mistakes delves into the concept of reality, with its ominous guitar hinting at a stalker-like storyline. “Is this existence merely a figment of my imagination?” cries Tucker.

There are many potential explanations for why someone might require motivation to get dressed or why their perception of reality might weaken. The concept for Little Rope was already outlined before a pivotal incident altered it even more: the passing of Brownstein’s mother and stepfather in a vehicular accident in the fall of 2022.

After experiencing a loss, one noticeable result is that Brownstein does not take on the main singing role in any of the songs on her latest album, unlike in the past. Instead, she relied on her familiar and grounding guitar practice to help her cope with the aftermath of her grief. In an interview with the Guardian last month, she expressed how being alive can feel random at times.

Little Rope can be described as a combination of pain and confusion, although it also has other elements. The final song, The Untidy Creature, expresses a response to the 2022 decision by the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v Wade, which takes away the federal protection for legal abortion and restricts women’s autonomy.

Say It Like You Mean It could be Sleater-Kinney’s most mainstream song yet, a full-throated goodbye to love whose Brownstein-directed video starring Succession’s Gerri Kellman – the actor J Smith-Cameron – might nod, elliptically, at the invisibility of older women, as well as the despair at not being seen within a relationship.

The intense pain expressed in Say It Like You Mean It (“the clocks have stopped”) is reminiscent of WH Auden’s Funeral Blues (“stop all the clocks”). In Little Rope, the lyrics often encompass a wider range of emotions, making it feel like an oxygen mask would be helpful to cope with the sharp emotions. The characters in Little Rope’s songs are constantly struggling, desperately seeking tenderness and facing challenges in even the simplest of tasks.

“The first track, ‘Hell,’ suggests that it is merely a marker along a specific route,” the lyrics reflect, emphasizing how one can easily end up there due to circumstances. “I’ve been feeling low for so long, it’s like I owe something to the ground,” sings Tucker on ‘Hunt You Down,’ a confidently suave portrayal of fear. The chorus serves as a cautionary reminder: “The thing you are most afraid of will come after you.”

Importantly, these ten songs are not melancholy; there is no dwelling on negative emotions. “Don’t Feel Right” is an undeniable hit, a uplifting tune about feeling terrible that slightly brings to mind Supergrass’ “Alright.” There is no correct method for mourning, but it seems that the shock and sadness have motivated Sleater-Kinney to seize the moment and prioritize.