Band: Sleater-Kinney
Album: Path Of Wellness
Label: Milk! / Remote Control
Release: June 11th, 2021
Rating: 8.5/10
Fans of their grittier, more punk‑centric work may be soured by the glossy production and stylistic quirkiness, but with a radiant, self-assured energy and a strikingly colourful palate of tones at their disposal, Sleater-Kinney knock it out of the park on album #10.
Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker bounce off each other with dazzling aplomb, their interplay tight, twined and tantalising. Their playing here is the cleanest and most deliberate it’s ever been, yet it still hits with a powerful impact.
It’s the riskiest tracks that stand out most: the cool, cantering “Method”, the funky and frenetic “Favorite Neighbor”, and the slick, solo-lacquered “Down The Line”. More than anything, Path Of Wellness is inescapably catchy; head-bopping is non-negotiable.
Please note: this review is also printed in #144 of Australian Guitar Magazine, syndicated here because AG’s album reviews are no longer published online.
Path Of Wellness is out now via Milk! / Remote Control. Click here to buy or stream.